Skypiea and a weird stranger
by Erzats
Summary: After defeating Crocodile and leaving Alabasta with Nico Robin joining them, the Strawhat Pirates now sailed to Jaya, trying to reached the legendary Sky Islands. But what happen when a strange guy wearing a scarf join the trip without them knowing ? OC. Same as canon with a few twist. Shitty sumary and title, sorry
1. Chapter 1 : The stranger from Mock Town

**Hi guys ! I hope everything's good for you ! I decided to begin a new story, a One Piece fic this time. The ideas came to me like that and I'm trying to build something out of it. Don't worry, I'm not forgetting my other stories. I'm doing to switch between my Fairy Tail one, The 12 Strizers, ad this one. Basically, it's gonna work like that : New One Piece chapter in french, the translation, new FT chapter in French, the translation and I return to OP, etc.**

 **I hope you'll like this fic, introducing one of my OC. Don't forget to leave a review, for an advice or even to say what you think about the fic.**

 **Enjoy !**

 **A.N. : I'm not the owner of One Piece, I just own my OC**

 **Chapter 1 : Mock Town's stranger**

/- Grand Line – Mock Town -/

The weather was clear that afternoon, on the island of Jaya. The only city on the island, Mock Town, was very active as usual but we could hardly imagine it could be otherwise for a city where the pirates are literally the bosses. The inn of the city was very active too, filled with pirates who came to fill their stomach and have a good time. Among these unusual customers, there was one who distinguished itself from others, as much by his calm as by its style.

He had snow-white hair, blood red eyes and naturally tanned skin. He was dressed in a black T-shirt with long sleeve, in a grey linen pants with chains wrapped around his waist and black shoes. His outfit was completed by a long red scarf, which hid the lower part of his face, even his mouth and his neck. He quietly read the newspaper when he heard 2 different voices shout at the same time by the bar.

Raising his head, looking at the bar, he saw the 2 people who had just shouted. The first one was a man as big as wide, wearing an open white shirt and a bandana covering his head, with black hair not looking really clean. The other one on the other hand was completely different. He was much younger and seemed to be an absolute weakling, with a red sleeveless jacket, a blue pair of shorts and sandals. However, one look at the straw hat on his head triggered our stranger .

? (Thought): "Is that … Strawhat Luffy?"

He didn't had time to think about it much longer because the 2 characters spoke again, always in perfect harmony.

Luffy and ? : "This cherry pie tastes so bad/good I'm gonna die !"

Luffy and mysterious man exchanged a look, as if they had found themselves a rival.

Scarf guy (Thought, sweat dropping): "Is it possible to become rival so quickly ?"

Luffy and the stranger next to him drank their beverage, always perfectly synchronized, to once again express their diverging opinion, and still in one voice. Then it was with food orders that the situation got worse once again, Luffy and the stranger asking for bigger and bigger quantity of food, just to have the upper hand over the other one until they almost fought because of it. The quarrel was stopped by the intervention of a young woman with orange hair, sitting 2 places to the left of Luffy.

Nami: "Luffy! You promised, remember ? We're not carrying enough money anyway ! We're not here to shop !"

Scarf guy (Thought): "This redhead is a member of the Strawhat Crew? About what kind promise is she talking about?"

After the last shouts, the unknown pirate left the bar, but as soon as he left, another one entered and our scarf wearing guy recognized him with no problem at all.

Scarf guy (Thought): "Shit. It's this dumbass Bellamy."

Indeed, Bellamy the Hyena, aka "The Big-Time Rookie" being worth 55 million Berrys, had just entered the bar and he seemed to be looking for someone.

Bellamy: "Is there a pirate, with a straw hat in here ?"

Bellamy's arrival silenced any noise in the bar, while he stood, arm crossed in the entrance of the bar.

Bellamy: "Hmm … So you're the 30 million bounty boy ? 'Strawhat Luffy' …"

Scarf guy (Thought): "30 million? Seems like you didn't read the newspaper today, buddy."

While he walked to the bar, offering a pint to Luffy, his henchmen also arrived in the bar, slashing the customers to free some space for them, no one trying to stop them, minding their own business to avoid angering this crew. While Luffy was about to drink what Bellamy offered him, the latter slammed his head on the bar, breaking the latter. Almost immediately, the sword of the green haired guy sitting next to Luffy end up under Bellamy's throat.

Scarf guy (Thought): "Roronoa Zoro. If they began a fight, the city is going to have a hard time staying in one piece (A.N. : pun unintended)."

While Luffy got up, ready to fight, Nami stopped him just to have to time to question the barman.

Nami: "Luffy ! Wait ! Mister! We want to go 'Sky Island' ! Do you know anything about it !?"

While all the customer began laughing at the stupidity of the question, the unknown with the scarf looked at them with wide eyes.

Scarf guy (Thought): "Sky Island ? Really ? It's just a myth …"

His sentence stayed unfinished when he saw the Log Pose on Nami's wrist, its needle pointing at the sky.

Scarf guy (Thought): " On the Grand Line, the Log Pose is the only element we can trust to navigate. If he point towards the sky, that would mean that the Sky Island really exist? "

But even the sight of the Log pointing upwards was not enough to convince the rest of the pirates of the bar, which asserted that the Log was not a reliable instrument. According to them, the Sky island were just a legend invented by the inhabitants of Grand Line to explain the existence of the Knock-Up Stream, a dangerous sea current propelling boats towards the sky. Afterward, Luffy and Zoro were beaten up and humiliated by Bellamy and his first mate, Sarkies, saying out that the pirate's dreams era was finished. Finishing with the 2 pirates, Sarkies addressed Nami, who was also entitled to her dose of humiliation when he suggested to buy her so that she joins their crew and in spite of her retort she hoped would be challenging, she only received more laughter and she got out of the bar, dragging Luffy and Zoro behind her, clearly trying not to explode (in anger or in tear, probably both) when a voice was heard.

? : " The Sky Islands exist ! "

Turning her head, Nami saw the big pirate from before, sitting on the ground stuffing himself with cherry pies.

? : " That battle just now. Those two have won it. The 'new age' those guys were talking about, it's all bullshit. A MAN'S DREAM WILL NEVER DIE ! "

Once he had said that, our stranger with the scarf returned to his newspaper and his coffee, thinking about what just happened.

Scarf guy (Thought): "It's not with this mind state that Bellamy will go far on Grand Line. In any case, the Strawhat crew seems to be a really singular crew. (Look at the newspaper) Alabasta is the island just before Jaya, isn't it ? Hmm. I believe that the Sky Islands could be more than suitable destination."

With this, he got up and left the bar, thinking about what to do but stopped when he heard Bellamy and Sarkies discussing about the heir of MontBlanc Norland who's living on Jaya.

Scarf guy (Thought): "MontBlanc Norland, is it not the liar who claimed to have found a golden city 400 years ago ? It was on this island ?"

Having heard Bellamy talking about going to visit Cricket to steal what he had, he felt that Strawhat Luffy will return sooner or later to Mock Town and decided to wait for him.

/- Time skip -/

In the evening, in spite of the late hour, the bar was full, filled with Bellamy's crew members, our scarfed guy sat at the same table as in the afternoon. They had just stolen the collection of golden object fished up by Cricket, while mopping the floor with the old man and his two monkey assistants. This is when a guy, completely drunk but strangely alert, as if he had sobered up all at once, rushed suddenly into the bar, his face as white as milk and wide eyes, trembling hands as if he had just seen a ghost. He held a paper in his hands, which was in fact a wanted poster.

The drunkard: "Big discovery ! Bellamy, you're still here ? You should run away now ! You'll get killed. You are in the most danger !"

Bellamy (Angry) : "What? Are you saying that someone will… can kill me !?"

With this, the drunkard show them the wanted poster, the whole inn frozed at the sight of it, swith the exception of our scarf guy who smiled. It was the Luffy's new wanted poster, with a reward of 100 million Berry and also Zoro's one at 60 million. While the inn began to stir, fear spreading through the pirates about a reprisal for what they did to them earlier, Bellamy calmed them.

Bellamy: " Are you blind ? You've seen him in person, right ? You've never heard about other pirates like that in the past ? Making fake bounties to create rumor and made the other pirate they were big guys and make them lose their confidence ? You've seen how weak those guys are. I'm even starting to have doubt about that 30 million one. "

Scarf guy : "AHAHAHAHAHAHAH ! They aren't weak. They just didn't fight back, because it would lead them to nowhere. "

Heads turned to our friend, who had laughed at them, incurring the wrath of Bellamy.

Bellamy: " Can I know what is so funny, asshole ? "

Scarf guy: " it's you who's funny, with your bullshit. In fact, they won without even striking you this afternoon. And if were you, I'd prepare myself. "

Bellamy: " And for what, may I ask? "

Luffy: " BELLAMYYY ! WHERE ARE YOU ?! "

Scarf guy (grinning) : " To get your ass kicked. "

Hearing the voice of Luffy outside, Bellamy got out in the deserted streets of Mock Town, spotting Luffy on the roof of a building.

Bellamy: " Do you have something to say to me ? "

Luffy: " Return Mr diamond-head's gold back to him ! "

Using the powers of the Bane Bane no Mi, Bellamy jumped up to the building roof, landing in front of Luffy.

Bellamy: " It's my loot as a pirate. You are a pirate too. You don't have the right to say stuff like that to me. "

Luffy: " Yes, I do. They are my friends ! So I will take the gold back to them. "

Bellamy: " You can try as much as you want, you and your false bounties ! Do you only know how to punch someone ? AHAHAHAHAHAH! "

Quickly, the fight began and Luffy found himself standing in the middle of the place of Mock Town, whereas Bellamy jumped up in all directions, so fast as it was impossible to follow him. Luffy was not impressed at all, making his right hand bones crack.

(Mumbling) Luffy: " You asked if I know how to punch, right ? "

Bellamy: " HAHAHAHAHA! Golden city ?! Sky Island ?! The age for daydreams is over! You bastards are the shame of all pirates ! FAREWELL, STRAW HAT! "

*BAM*

All of a sudden, Luffy threw a punch just in front of him, who reached Bellamy's face and the blow was so powerful that the Hyena was brutally stopped, Luffy's fist literally printed in his cheek. The silence followed this sudden end of fight, nobody daring to believe what had just happened.

Sarkies (in denial): " Hey … Quit fooling around … Bellamy ?! Are you trying to play us !? Say something (stressing) HEY! STOP ACTING LIKE A RETARD! GET UP ! SHOW US YOUR STUFF LIKE YOU USUALLY DO! BELLAMY! "

The wind got up, sending a paper in Sarkies face, which grabbed it before realizing that it was the Luffy's 100 million berry wanted poster, which suddenly looked much more real. Bellamy's crew, understanding that this wanted poster was not a fake, fled, while Luffy went away, Cricket gold on his back. Sarkies tried to stop him, asking him where he think he was going but Luffy answered simply by pointing at the sky …

Luffy: " Where ? To the sky ! "

Scarf guy (Thought with a smile): " It's official, I am going to follow them for some time. " With this, he flew away, literally, going to the other side of the island.

/- Later -/

Nami (angry) : "What is he doing right now ?! That idiot, ahhhhh ! He is already 46 minutes late! If this goes on, we won't reach the know up stream in time !"

Chopper: "Could he have been beaten in the town …"

Nami: "if he lost the fight, I won't forgive him even if he came back on time !"

Zoro: "What do you want him to do ?"

Luffy: "HEEEEY ! I did it ! Look at this ! It's Hercules !"

Luffy was approaching, the bag of gold on his back and, no one knew how, but he was carrying a huge stag beetle.

Nami and Ussop: "WHAT THE HECK WERE YOU DOING !"

The crew stood now in front of the Vogue Merry, who had received equipped with wings to be able to use the Knock Up Stream but for a strange reason, the design gave the boat a chicken design.

Luffy: "WOAH ! Amazing ! It looks like a turkey !"

Ussop: " I thought so too !"

Nami: "I feel uneasy whenever I see that thing …"

Zoro: "It's alright. It really look more like a turkey instead of chicken or pigeon."

Nami (to Zoro): "'I'm not worrying about that ! Stupid idiot!"

After giving his gold back to MontBlanc Cricket, Luffy went towards the Merry, joining the others while Shoujou and Masira, the 2 recuperators ape working with Cricket, got onto their own boats to escort them up to the location where the Knock Up Stream will happen.

Cricket: "Apeyama United Armed Forces ! Don't mess this up ! No matter what happens ! Give it your all for these guys !"

Luffy (getting on board): "OK, let's go!"

Cricket (to Luffy): " Kid! We will part here ! There is one thing… one thing that is absolutely certain..! It is that for 'Golden City' and 'Sky Island', there has never been anyone… Who could prove that they do not exist ! Other might laugh at us, but that doesn't matter ! THIS IS… 'ROMANTIC' ! "

Boats went finally away from Jaya, guided by their South Bird, to go to the place where the Knock Up Stream will happen. While everything seemed to run smoothly, Masira suddenly noticed a black shape appearing at the horizon.

Masira: " Millenium Cumulonimbus! Approachiung from southwest ! "

Shoujou: " What? But it's much more earlier than what we planned! Divers ! Find me this current straightaway! "

Very fast, the location of the current birth was found and the Vogue Merry went to it, fighting against waves which were becoming more and more violent. The Log Pose was pointing towards this enormous cloud, sign that indeed, their next destination was up above. When they arrived on the exact location of the 'catapulting', they began to say to themselves that it was not a good idea. They found themselves sucked in by a gigantic whirlpool so big even the Sea Kings drowned. Which did not help some of the crew members.

Apeyama United Armed Forces: " Alright then ! From now on, do your best with your own strength ! "

Luffy: " yeah, thanks for escorting us here ! "

Ussop: " Waaaiiit ! Let us go ! this is too terrifying ! Let us go back, asshole ! We'll die for sure like this ! "

Nami: " You never mentionned that the whirlpool would be this big ! Liar, liar ! "

Ussop: " Let's go back, Luffy ! It's not too late ! This whirlpool alone is already deadly enough ! The Sky islands is just a fantasy of a fantasy ! "

Luffy: " a fantasy of a fantasy … "

Nami: " Yes ! Luffy ! I think it's probably false, too !"

Luffy (with a big toothy smile): "This 'island of the fantasy of a fantasy.' If we miss the chance for a grand adventure like this, we will regret it for the rest of our life for sure !"

Much for the sadness of the 3 scared to death pirates, including Chopper who cried to death since the beginning, their captains found the situation more than funny and while they complained about their fate, Merry was snatched into the whirlwind, finding itself floating in the air during a moment when suddenly, the sea calmed down all at once and the boat found itself again on the water.

Sanji: "What … It disappeared or what?"

Nami: "That's not it ! It begins now! The whirlpool has only disappeared in the seabed !"

? : "Waiiiit !"

Luffy: "hey, Zoro. That's …"

Not far awaa from Merry, another boat, which looked like a kind of huge raft with a big black sail on which was painted 3 skull with 4 crossed bones behind. On the boat, 4 people whom Zoro, Luffy and Nami recognized. It was the sniper who fired at the seagulls at Mock Town, the wrestlers guy, the type who had given poisoned apple to Luffy and the cherry pies eating pirate Luffy almost fought at Mock Town.

? : "We are here to take your head that is worth 100 millions! Surrender to us now !"

Luffy: "What do you mean, 100 millions ?"

? : "So you didn't know after all. There is a bounty worth 100 millions berry on your head ! Also, 'The Pirate Hunter' Zoro ! You have 60 millions !"

Ussop: " It's true ! They have new bounties ! Zoro ! You've become a wanted pirate ! "

Sanji: " What! Hey, wait ! And me ? there's a bounty for me, too. Right ?"

Ussop: "No"

Sanji: " Look again carefully ! "

Ussop: "Still no."

While Zoro and Luffy were delighted at their new bounties, Nami trying to calm them down, trying to make them understand that it was not a good news, the ocean began to swell just below the other pirate raft-like ship and suddenly, the ocean literally exploded, throwing water violently into the air, like a gigantic geyser, reducing the huge raft to piece and catapulting the Merry into the air.

?: " Holy fucking shit ! What was that ! "

Sanji: " No idea but the ship is sailing vertically on the surface of the stream ! "

Nami (to herself): " … The wind ?"

Luffy: " Yes, Let's go to the Sky Islands. "

Sanji: " Wait a sec... It's not as easy as you think ! The boat is beginning to leave the stream ! If this goes on much longer, we will get bounced off ! "

?: " OK, great, and now ? What do we do ? We got propelled up here so there no way we can go back ! We need to find a solution. "

Nami: " Set down the sail ! Hurry ! This is sea ! It's no mere stream ! It's a current that is flowing vertically up ! It's an updrift !"

Even if everybody had doubts, Nami remained the best navigator in the world, at least in the eyes of the crew, and they obeyed and once the sail were spread, the boat got off the column but it began flying along the column, literally.

Luffy: " So cool, the ship is flying in the sky! "

?: " I am impressed, I have never seen somebody achieve something like that before. You have a lot of skill. "

Nami: " Thank you! "

Luffy: " Well done, Nami! Now, entering Millenium Cumulonimbus! "

Crew(Equipage): " WOOOOOOOOOH ! "

But when they reached the cloud, they had to go through it, and when they entered it, they fought to remain conscious, the speed and the lack of oxygen made this cloud a really difficult place to cross. The boat finally reached the end of the cloud and shot into the air, leaving behind him some of its pieces, mainly pieces of its wings. The crew needed a moment to recover but when they got up, they were amazed by the sight which offered itself to them. They were surrounded by clouds everywhere, sailing on a sea of cloud.

Nami: " How are we sailing on clouds ? How is it possible? "

Luffy: " Of course we can sail on top of it. They're just clouds. "

Sanji, Zoro, Chopper and ? (waving their hands): " No, that's impossible! "

Chopper: " This is bad, Ussop isn't breathing ! "

Luffy: " What ? Think of something ! Do CPR ! "

Sanji: " Okay, I'll do CPR on Nami-swan! "

Zoro and ?: "Moron".

That is when the crew paused for a moment, turning all in the same direction, looking at this guy with a scarf around his neck standing in the middle of the boat, idle, just raising a hand

Scarf guy : "Yo".

Crew (except Robin): " WHERE DID YOU CAME FROM ?"

Scarf guy : "Kitchen."

Nami: "AND HOW DID YOU GET ONBOARD ?"

Scarf guy : "Porthole."

Before whoever could say something else, Robin spoke.

Robin: "I think that everybody here would like to know who you are and why you are here, on this ship?"

Scarf guy (Leaning on the rail): "I was in Mock Town and I heard you talk about Sky islands and since you looked determined to go there, I thought about following you. And don't worry, I won't try anything against you, if it's what you were afraid of. Especially as we haven't reached our destinations."

Nami: "Sorry?"

Scarf guy : "Hello? The Sky ISLANDS? You see an island around here? Besides, the needle of the Log Pose still point upward, thus we still need to go up."

Nami (looking at Log Pose): "Okay, but how can we do it, smartass ?"

Scarf guy (hands behinds his head): "You're the navigator, find a way."

While a vein appeared on the redhead's forehead, the attention of the crew was caught by Ussop, who had made the decision to scuba dive into the sea of cloud. He dived and swan down, quickly disappearing from the crew vision. They began to feel concerned and Robin's word did not helped the situation.

Robin: "Just a thought, but … is there really … a sea floor ?"

Realizing that they were in the sky, this ocean didn't had any floor in fact, and thus, if the sniper dived too far, he'll fell into the sea down below.

Zoro: "Did that idiot fall off the cloud?!"

Luffy stretched his arm, trying to catch the sniper but it was impossible for him to see anything, so Robin took care of it.

 _ **OJOS FLEUR !**_

Using the powers of the Hana Hana no Mi, she made eyes sprout on Luffy's arm, allowing her to find Ussop, who had actually just reached the bottom of the clouds and falling towards the ocean down below.

 _ **SEIS FLEUR !**_

Sprouting six arms on Luffy's one, Robin caught Ussop and allowed Luffy to bring him back up on the boat, not without bringing with him several creatures, looking like fishes and octopuses, as if Ussop was used as bait for fish. Creatures which Zoro cut effortlessly. While the crew had once again forgotten about our stranger, too absorbed by the fishes living in this sea, Chopper, with binoculars, spotted not too far away a boat which had just been destroyed by a man wearing a mask, who was now rushing at them. Soon, the mysterious man, who seemed to run on the clouds, jumped on the boat, a bazooka in his hands.

Sanji: " Hey, stop! What's your problem ! "

The masked stranger: "Eliminate… "

Faced with this clear threat, Zoro, Sanji and Luffy got ready for the fight, but they were all floored without any effort by this guy. While the man went away, aiming his bazooka of some sort at the boat, he was interrupted by another unknown voice.

?: " That's enough ! "

The newcomer threw himself at the masked man, sending him back with his spear and introducing as the Knight of the Sky, an old man wearing a knight's armor armed with a spear, with a bird with purple polka-dot pink feathers, also brown around the tail and the head, with a long beak by his side. While Luffy, Zoro and Sanji tried to understand how they could have been beaten so easily, Robin brought the answer: oxygen depletion.

Knight: " we are on White Sea, 7000 meters above the Blue Sea. And above this place is the White-White Sea, 10000 meters. Average citizens of the Blue Sea won't be able to stand it. "

After some explanations, the Knight offered them his protection, for 5 millions extols by persons. But facing the ignorance of the pirates about this currency, the Knight was confused.

Knight: " Didn't you come here through the top of High Waist ? Then you must have been to one or two islands right ?! "

Nami: "Wait ! There are other ways to get to this Sky ocean ? "

Knight: " What ! So you guys actually came via that monstrous stream ? I never thought there would still be people this brave... "

Nami (in tears): " So it wasn't… the normal way to get ... "

Luffy (shaken by Nami): " We're here anyway, right ? "

Nami (shaking Luffy): " We almost died ! If we had collected more information, we could have used a safer method … "

Scarf guy (sweat dropping) : "Why are you shouting on him ? Is it his fault ?"

In the end, the knight got up, throwing a whistle to the crew.

Knight: " One whistle, blow this whistle once, and I will come down from the sky to save you. Using the currency of the sky, each whistle would cost 50 millions extols, but your first whistle will be free as my gift for you. Use it to call me at any time ! "

Nami: " Wait! We don't even know your name… "

Knight: " I would be Gan Fall, the Knight of the sky. This is my partner, Pierre! I forgot to introduce my partner, Pierre… Even though he's a bird, he has the power of the Uma Uma no Mi "

This small revelation, accompanied by the beginning of Pierre's transformation, triggered the surprise of the Blue Sea citizens.

Gan Fall: " Which means he can become a winged horse ! In other words … A pegasus! "

Except that this Pegasus had the same color pattern as Pierre, namely purple polka-dot pink and its head looked really dumb, ruining the majestic image that the crew had of the famous flying horse.

Now that Gan Fall had just left, the Strawhats returned to the other source of interrogation. The scarf wearing stranger.

Nami: " Well, what are you planning to do, now ? "

Scarf guy : " Well, I think that I am going to spend some time with you, at least while you are on the Sky islands. After all, it's not as if I could go somewhere else. I could even join your crew, if you want me to. "

Luffy (picking his nose): " Yeah, no thank you. Don't wanna. "

Scarf guy: " I can fly. "

Luffy (a pint in his hand, stars in his eyes): " for our new crew member, cheers ! "

Crew(except Robin, who giggled quietly): " WHAT WITH THIS CHANGE OF MIND ?! "

Robin: " While our navigator is discussing with our captain, you could at least tell us what is your name? "

Scarf guy (looking at Nami beating Luffy up while shouting at him): " It seems like your definition of 'discussing' is a little off, but to answer your question, my name is Ashuku, Ash, for short."

Robin: "Very well. In that case, let me introduce you to our crew. My name is Nico Robin, I have just joined the crew as their archaeologist. You most certainly already know our captain and our first mate thanks to their bounties. The blond one is our cook Sanji, the one with the long nose is our sniper Ussop, the small reindeer is Chopper, our doctor and finally the navigator, Nami."

Ash: "You really have a tanuki as a doctor?"

Chopper (taking his human form): "Didn't you heard you what she just said!"

Ash: "Ah, my apologies. A gorilla. Sorry."

Chopper: "A REINDEER! YOU DO IT ON PURPOSE OR WHAT?"

Ash (with a smirk): "yes. (Turning his head, ignoring Chopper who got more pissed) Look, what is that thing over there ?"

The ship had drifted alone to finally end up in front of an arc of some sort, on which was writen the words "Heaven's gate '. While some already thought they had died, they saw an old lady with a camera, talking to them from the gate.

Amazon: "Are you here for sight-seeing ? Or… here to fight ? Actually, it doesn't matter why you are here. If you want to go up, each person must pay 1 billion extol entrance fee. That's the law."

Ash: "1 billion per persons ? They have no chill up here. Maybe you'd like some coffee with it, huh ?"

Nami: "Um … If we… don't have money …?"

Amazon: "You can still go up."

Ussop: "REALLY ?!"

Amazon: "Also … If you don't want to go up... It's okay, too. I'm not a guard, nor am I a soldier. I just want to know your… intentions."

The almost evil aura around the old woman did not go unnoticed for Ash. But suddenly, a kind of huge lobster appeared under Merry, taking the boat between its pinch.

Amazon: "That's White Sea's special 'Speedy Shrimp…'"

Towed by this huge lobster, the crew now sailed along a spiraling cloudy road, heading for the Sky islands. But on his part, Ash couldn't shake off the feeling that this little journey in the sky was going to be more complicated than expected.

 **Ok, here we go for this first chapter, I hope you liked it. If you have any advice, question or remark about the fic, don't forget to leave a review. I'll read them all and do my best to answer.**

 **See you next time !**


	2. Chapter 2 : Angels and God

**Hello again, everybody. I hope everything is good for you all. We are back for a new chapter of this adventure in the sky islands. Enjoy !**

 **P.S. : I'm not the one who own One Piece. Just Ash.**

 **Chapter 2 : Angels and God**

It has now been several minutes since the Vogue Merry, towed by the huge lobster, began climbing on a cloudy road surrounded with clouds. This vertical tunnel was so long that they couldn't see the end of it, and had lost sight of the entrance a while ago already.

Ussop: " How is this happening ? The cloud is shaped like a long stripe, like a river ! Really look like something not naturally formed ! This thing was artificially made, right ?! "

Nami: " There is something written on top ! It's the exit ! "

Indeed, against the cloud tunnel, an huge sign could be seen, where were written the words ' Godland Skypiea '

Chopper: " the exit(release)! "

Ash: " Godland Skypiea!? It's not an exit ! It's an entrance ! "

Propelled by the lobster which released them when they reached the end of the tunnel, making them take off above the White-White Sea, giving them a wonderful view over the landscape in front of them. In the middle of the clouds, they could saw building as white as the shining clouds surrounding them, surrounded with a forest of an emerald green. Next to the ocean, they perceived what seemed to be a beach of a spotless white, which made it the best place to moor the boat. Obviously, the first person to react was Luffy.

Luffy (with a big smile): " There's an island! It's a SKY ISLAND, YEAH ! "

The boat just had time to get near the beach that the 3 kids of the crew (Luffy, Ussop and Chopper) were already running everywhere on the beach, being amazed at everything and anything, the others always on board. Talking about the other, Zoro had just dropped the anchor, Robin had changed and Nami, who also had changed, now wearing a blue camo bikini top and pants reaching just below her knees, turned to Ash who looked at her with a neutral expression on his face and having exchanged his long sleeved vest for an open sleeveless jacket, trying to settle a last detail.

Nami (pointing at Ash): " You there. You aren't part of the crew then we are going to establish some rules".

Ash: "And since when it's the navigator who decides who joins the crew ?"

Nami (ignoring the comment): " First, if you attract us problems, you pay for all the disputes which they will create me. Secondly, if you find a treasure, he is for me. And thirdly, if you need money to buy something, I will lend it to you, but with a 500 % interest rate. "

Ash (Mumbling): " And I thought that the 1 billion extols fee by people were exaggerated. It's not sea urchins she has in her pockets, but porcupines. And hedgehogs. And cactus. And nails. "

Nami: " Oh, and since I don't trust you, you will stay constantly under my supervision. Besides, if there are houses, there are inhabitants, thus shops and I need a carrier. "

Ash (Mumbling): " What a cold hearted bitch. "

Nami (turning around, a vein pounding on her forehead): "Excuse me ?"

By turning, she was surprised when she end up facing Ash, who had an ice cream brought out of nowhere between in his hands.

Ash: " I said ' What a cool cleaned beach. ' (gesturing to his ice cream) Want some ? "

Nami (recovering): " No, no, no. That won't work. I clearly heard you say… "

Ash (pointing behind Nami, wide eyes): " Wow! An island covered in gold! "

Nami (turning around, Berry shaped eyes): " WHERE !? "

 _ **RUN LIKE A BITCH NO JUTSU !**_

Obviously, there was absolutely nothing and Ash took advantage of it to disembark, rushing to the 3 kids, already joined by Sanji, under Zoro satisfied look, delighted to see somebody deceive the one who had long ago reach the rank of witch in his eyes. Soon, everybody was on the beach, discovering what this very particular environment had to offer. Plants looking like balloons, a kind of hard rock square watermelons, but also of the beach furniture, mainly deckchairs made of clouds. Ash, lost in his though, was pulled out of them by some kind of small fox with an extremely pale purple fur. And almost immediately, they heard a soft melody reaching their ears. They then saw a person, standing on a cloud.

Sanji: " Hey ! Someone's there ! "

Ussop: " Is it… Another rider ?! "

Chopper (Panicking): " Whistle! Where's the whistle ?! "

Sanji: "Wait, That's not it ! It's an angel ! "

Indeed, the silhouette of the person became clearer, showing that it was a young woman, who held a harp in her hands, with a pair of wings on her back. She stopped playing, turning to the pirates, letting the latter see her dark eyes.

?: " Heso! "

Ash: " I beg your pardon?"

?: (walking to the group): " Are you guys from the Blue Seas ? Come here, Sue. "

The small fox, called Sue, rushed to the winged stanger, who approached more and more the group with each step.

Luffy: " … We flew up here from the bottom. Do you live here? "

?: " Yes, I live here. This is the Angel Beach of Skypiea. "

Now that she had reached the crew, she turned her head to the 2 square watermelons which Luffy had under his arms, laughing lightly.

?: " Haha. That's gaunasu, you want to drink it ? All the skin is as hard as steel. Biting won't do anything. Must go from the bottom... "

At those words, she took one of the gaunasu from Luffy and, using a small knife, made a hole on the bottom of the fruit and put a straw inside, before returning it to Luffy, who was thus able to drink the contents of the fruit and judging by his expression, it seemed to be really delicious. The young woman finally introduced herself, the small fox in her arms.

?: " I'm Conis. And there, it's Sue, my pet cloud fox. If there is any problem, I am willing to help you. "

Sanji: " Yes, I have a problem. Your gaze burns a hole in my heart…" he began before being interrupted by Nami, pulling him by the ear.

Nami: "Go away"

Ash : "Yeah, if you could keep it in your pants, it would be nice."

Sanji : "Shut up, scarf boy. You have no right to talk to me like."

Ash : "I'm 25, respect your elder."

Sanji : "I DON'T GIVE A FUCK !"

While Sanji began running after Ash, trying to kick his ass at the same time, Nami just sighed and turned to Conis.

Nami : " Let's forget them. There are so many things we want to know. To start up, everything here is unbelievable. "

Conis: " Yes, don't hold back. Ask anything. "

But before going farther, they were interrupted by a noise, accompanied with a shape on the ocean approaching the beach.

Conis: " Ah, it's my dad. "

Father of Conis: " Heso, Conis! "

Conis: " Oh. Heso, father. "

Ash: " I'll never get used to this way to say Hello. "

The unknown, now known as Conis's father, was a man with a beard and the same kind of hairstyle as the girl, meaning styled in 2 small antennas. He was driving some strange vehicle, wearing on his back some kind of basket. He approached the beach, but without slowing down, which meant that he was sent crashing in the palm trees on the other side of the beach, ending face first on the floor.

Father of Conis (getting up): " Is anybody up ? "

Zoro (shark teeth) : " Ask yourself that first ! "

Conis's father: " Are they your friends, Conis? In this case let me introduce myself : my name is Pagaya. "

Once the introduction were made, as well as an invitation to have dinner, quickly accepted with pleasure by the pirates, Luffy tried to control the mysterious vehicle, called a Waver, and tried to pilot it, but alas for him, it was far from being that simple and he end his race in the ocean of clouds, into which he sank, like if he was in the Blue Sea. Shortly after, just after the pirates fished up Luffy, but also Chopper, who got the good idea to dive after him to try to save Luffy, Pagaya explained to them how a Waver work.

Pagaya: " In order to fully utilize th power, the hulls of the Wavers are made very light. So even the smallest wave will cause it to turn. Thus one must understand the sea very well, at least able to predict waves. Please pardon me ! With training, it only takes about 10 years to learn. "

Ussop (shocked): " That's a long time ! It would need a lot of focus and endurance ! "

Ash: " A perfect understanding of the sea? I wonder if … "

Nami: " Heyyyyy! "

When they heard Nami's voice, the crew, Pagaya and Conis turned and they saw Nami, standing on Waver, driving it as if she did that all of her life.

Ussop (shocked even more): " SHE DID IT !"

Ash: " She seems to have a blast. Hopefully she'll forget all those fucking rules she tried to impose to me. "

While Nami had fun with the Waver, the rest of the pirates were guided by Pagaya to his home, taking a huge staircase, where from they could see workers cutting clouds, as it was did for stone on the Blue Sea. On the way, Pagaya explained the differences between the 2 types of clouds on the sky islands: the sea clouds, composing the White Sea and White-White Sea and islands clouds where the cities were build and used for construction. They finally arrived to Conis and Pagaya's home, a house which looked more like a villa than a house.

/-A little later-/

Luffy (speaking in a seashell): "Ussop is stupid!"

Ussop: "Why me ?"

Conis: "Now, please press that button on top of the shell."

Luffy: "Where? Here?"

By pressing the shell, it began repeating the words pronounced by Luffy, Ussop and Conis just now, with the same voices.

Ash: "I see. This thing record sounds. That's what you call a Dial?"

Arrived in the lounge of their house, Conis had taken the initiative to talk to the pirates and their 'guest' about the Dials, shells found on sky islands who had all kind of purpose. Lamp Dial used as lamps, Tone Dial, the one that Ussop and Luffy had just tried, Heat Dials, used as heating device or as oven and plenty of others, with a lot of different use. Ash, visiting the house, end up in the kitchen, where Sanji helped Pagaya to prepare the meal and took advantage of it to learn more about the sky island cooking when he began coughing violently.

Paddled: "What is it ?"

Sanji: "I rarely see these cyan-colored sauce, so I tasted it … How do I put it… This taste is very strong… I can't feel my tongue…"

Paddled: "Ah, it's gone bad already. Please pardon me."

Sanji (throwing the jar on the ground): "Don't keep stuff like that !"

Ash shook his head looking at what happened before locking his eyes on what seemed to be fried fish which made is mouth water. Reaching out to take one, he almost got his hand stabbed by a knife, courtesy of Sanji.

Sanji: "Hands off, Mr ' gatecrash'. Nobody touches it as long as Nami and Robin are not ready to eat.

Ash (looking behind Sanji): "Ah, Nami. What are you doing topless ?"

Sanji, heart-shaped eye, turned around all at once, ready to get an eyeful of a topless Nami, but by turning around, he saw that Nami was not there. Frowning, he looked back towards the plate of fried fish and saw that they had disappeared.

Sanji (in flames): "BASTARD! GET BACK HERE!"

Sanji arrived in the lounge, throwing himself on Ash to send a kick to his face, but when his foot just touched his face, its leg was throw back with force, as if it had just hit a bumper which sent him flying at the other end of the room, under the surprised looks of the other persons.

Chopper: " Heee ? But how did he do that ? He hasn't even moved. "

Zoro: " I don't know what he did, but if he can floor the cook, then it's good for me. "

Ash: " Hehe. I would love to explain it, but later. In the meantime, I think that it would be wiser to eat, isn't it ? "

Sanji (getting up): " We will settle that later you and I. On the other hand where is Nami? I don't see her anymore. "

Hearing those words, Pagaya and Conis suddenly became much more worried.

Conis: " Father … Will it be alright ? "

Pagaya: " Yes, Conis, my daughter, I have a bad feeling about this, too... "

Ash (frowning): " What are you talking about ? "

Conis: "In Skypiea, there is one place where no one should ever enter. That place is very close to this island, with Waver, one can reach there very fast… The place no one should ever enter… It's the holy land. It's where god lives… Upper Yard."

This revelation caused diverse reactions within the crew. In the case of Luffy, for example.

Luffy: " God is there ?! In the place that no one should ever enter ? "

This seems to made Luffy smile more and more, so Ussop intervened, catching Luffy by the collar of his jacket.

Ussop: " Hey ! Luffy ! Listen to what she said !? 'No one should ever enter' means you can't go no matter what ! "

Luffy (with a big smile) : " Oh, Really, there is a place that nobody may go to ? (eating and whistling) Yeah ? So nobody should go in no matter what … ? "

Nobody could see his face, but it was easy to guess what he was thinking about.

Everybody (thoughts): " He's going for sure… "

Ash (thoughts): " it looks like this guy has no notion of danger. How were they able to survive up to this moment with a guy like that leading them ? Ah yes, he is excessively strong. "

/- Meanwhile, Upper Yard -/

Nami: "Wow. These trees are all gigantic, I wonder how old they are. I can't even see the top."

The navigator, like Pagaya and Conis feared, got to far away and had eventually reached the edge of Upper Yard, god's land. While she was looking at the local vegetation, while asking herself a lot of questions, she heard a noise coming from the forest. She tried to leave but didn't have time to move when she heard a click behind her. Turning around, she was faced with the mask wearing guy who had attacked them on the White Sea. But the masked man didn't shoot at her, but at the forest from where the noises were coming from. When the smoke cleared, they saw a man, covered with wound and blood, laying on the ground.

Wounded man: "Hey! Help me! Let me get on your boat! I … beg of you. I'll do anything you want to repay you !"

But regrettably, Nami had no time to answer that an intense bluish light appeared in the sky and all at once, a mass of energy of the same bluish tint fall down on the poor man in a deafening crash, leaving him no chance to survive.

Masked man: "Damn … Is it Enel! He actually did that to 'Vearth'…!"

Hardly had he finishes his sentence that he jumped back, evading another discharge of energy appearing out of nowhere before running away, leaving only Nami in front of Upper Yard. Hearing voices, the red-hair hid behind a tree, to be able to listen without being seen. She however had time to perceive 4 people and 2 animals talking between them of it which had just taken place.

Stranger 1: "I think that person was talking to somebody ..?"

Stranger 2: "It was a Raider, who got away just now."

Stranger 3: That guy was begging for his life right !?"

Stranger 4: "Next up. 'Illegal trespasser ' have entered this country. We got amazon message. 8 citizens of Blue Sea came up on a ship."

Unknown 3: "Only 8? Doesn't sound exciting."

Unknown 2: "Nevertheless, we could easily divide them between us 4."

Now that those guys had left, Nami began thinking about what she had just heard, and for her nothing looked good, the words of that Amazon old woman Heaven's Gate returning to her head.

' Each people have to pay 1 billion extols entry fee. '

Nami (thoughts): "8 immigrants? Maybe because we didn't paid? Oh no. That means that we are going to finish like this guy ?! Come to think of it, what was that earlier ?! Who are they and where is this place ?!"

Nami went back up on the Waver and returned to Angel Beach.

Nami: "This is bad …! I must warn everyone fast !"

/- Angel Beach -/

Pagaya: "This is really old ! "

Luffy was with Pagaya and Conis at Angel Beach, the old man inspecting the Waver the crew had found in the Blue Sea. The rest of the crew was on the Merry, ready to search for Nami. But while Luffy wondered if this Waver was repairable, he was interrupted by a whole platoon clad in white uniform, crawling on the 'sand', without any discretion.

Leader: " Squad… halt ! "

They got up putting a hand behind their back and the other one behind their head, 2 fingers raised up towards the sky, like rabbit ears.

Troop: " Heso ! "

Conis and Paddled: "Hey there, Heso".

Leader: " You ! You are those citizens of Blue Sea, who illegally entered Skypiea. There is no point denying. We already received this from the watchers of Heaven's Gate, Amazon… It's a picture taken with Video Dial. "

Those words took Conis and Pagaya by surprise, who didn't know this detail concerning the pirates. Nevertheless, they tried to support them.

Pagaya : " This can't be ! There may be a mistake, captain McKinley! They are not bad guys … "

McKinley: " Please stop arguing. Just admit it ! The situation is not serious enough to cause a panic. In Heaven's Judgement, illegally trespassing is only a class 11 crime. After the punishment, you will immediately become regular tourists. "

Ash: "Ok, and what is the punishment? "

McKinley: " it's very simple. Just pay a fine that is 10 times the entry fee ! Each person is 1 billion extols…which means 8 billion for you 8. Pay now and your criminal status will be erased immediately ! "

Ussop: " 7 billion?! How much is that in Berry ? "

McKinley: " Berry… That's the value of the Blue Seas ? In Berries… 10.000 extols is 1 Berry. "

Ash: " It's a little better, I'm sure you have enough money to pay, paying would be the easiest way to avoid getting any problem. Where is your money ?"

The whole crew turned to Ash, wide eyes. Ussop then got up and got really close to his face.

Ussop : "DON'T. TOUCH. THAT. MONEY. Not because I don't want to pay, I know it's probably the best idea, but no one, and I say NO ONE, touch this crew money without Nami knowing."

Ash : "Come on, she can't be money hungry to the point of putting everyone in harm way just because she don't want to pay ?"

On the beach, Luffy was about to beat up McKinley, who was trying to find others crime, inspecting the Waver already talking about thieving and vandalism. Suddenly, they heard a noise coming from the ocean. The pirates, the White Berets, Conis and Pagaya turned to the sea of cloud, seeing Nami approaching the beach.

Nami: " Please wait ! Luffy ! Don't oppose those men ! "

Nami, on Waver, was rushing towards them, to announce to the others what she had witnessed in Upper Yard.

Ussop: " Don't oppose them … ? Hey, Nami ! Can we afford to pay a fine of 7 millions Berries. "

Nami's position prevented the others from seeing her face when she pronounced the following sentence.

Nami: " … Oh… So we just need to pay a fine… 7 million Berries… "

Ash : "See ? She is wise enough to know when she HAVE to pay."

Nami: " IT'S TOO EXPENSIVE ! "

In her anger, she rammed in McKinley with the Waver, sending him flying at the other end of the beach.

Ash: " … Forget what I just said. Talk about an abusive reaction. I don't know why, but I got the feeling that we won't be able to leave quietly now. "

Nami returned the Waver to Pagaya and Conis, thanking them, before grabbing Luffy's arm and pulling him towards the boat, not wanting to stay one more minute here. But regrettably for them, it was too late.

McKinley (getting up): " Hold it ! There's no escape ! Not only were you impolite to us, her action was hindering our duty, it's a class 5 crime. With the power invested in me by god Enel, I sentence you to Drifting Cloud ! "

Ash (a cup of tea in his hand): " Drifting Cloud ? I don't know why but I don't think it's as funny as it seems. *take a sip* "

Zoro : "Where did that cup come from ?"

Conis: " Indeed. They put your boat on a cloud and we let you drift in the sky until you die. It's a death penalty! "

McKinley: " GET THEM! "

Once the signal was given, the soldiers took their bows and aimed at the pirates always on the beach, mainly Luffy.

 _ **MILKY ARROW!**_

Arrows were shot, heading toward Luffy, who put Nami out of harm way, leaving behind them a cloudy trail and if the arrows were easy to evade, it was because these shots weren't meant to hurt, but to set up cloudy roads, on which the White Berets could move on thanks to their Dial-powered skates. But Luffy evaded the attacks, stretching to reach for a tree before returning towards the soldiers, spinning quickly on himself.

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO HANABI!**_

All at once, fists and feet sprang almost simultaneously in every direction, striking the soldiers, putting them all offside in a blink of an eye, much to the surprise of the soldier.

While the other crew members thought about what they were now going to do, Ash was still surprised by what he had just seen.

Ash: " Did I dreamt or I just saw him stretch, right now ? "

Robin: " Indeed, I imagine that it is normal to find it surprising when one see it for the first time. He ate the Gomu Gomu no Mi, making of him a rubber man. "

Ash: " Given that he doesn't look like the kind of guy who fight with a weapon and seeing the reward on his head, I knew that this had to be the case, I just didn't expected that kind of power. "

While Luffy was joined by Sanji and Zoro to finish the rest of the White Berets, McKinley had just got up and had begun laughing, a bad smile on his face.

McKinley: " Hahaha, you fools … It would have been fine if you had done as I said.. We, the White Berets, are the nicest law enforcers in God Land. They, on the other hand…Won't be so forgiving …! With this, you have become 2nd class criminals. No matter how you cry or scream, the priest of Upper Yard will personally judge you. "

Once the White Berets left, the pirates had all gathered on the beach, Nami explaining to them what she had saw earlier at Upper Yard. Right now, she just got to the fact that it all began with this entry fee.

Nami: " We were tricked! Didn't that old lady say, 'You can still go…' but once we did, it became 'illegal trespassing' ?! This is a fraud ! They can't do this ! "

Ash: " I agree that it's not cool, but it would have been much more easier if we, no, if YOU had paid the entries fee, which you could since you seems to have the money. "

Nami (pointing at Ash): " Silence! You have no right to talk on this boat. "

Ash: " First, you can't deny that we are in this situation because of you. Second, I can't see why you have the right to talk when you use seem to use it only to yell or talk about money ? "

Nami (shark teethed) : " I'M GOING TO KILL YOU! "

Zoro: " I like that guy. "

After this little incident, the crew decided that it was better than they leave Angel Beach, if only to avoid getting Pagaya and Conis in troubles, even if Luffy was against leaving, before finally giving in because of Nami. Ussop, Sanji and Luffy volunteered to get some reserves, and tools for Ussop, with Pagaya while the rest of the crew prepared the boat to leave.

Nami: " Hey, you with your scarf. "

Ash: " I have a name, the redhead. What is it? "

Nami: " First , you owe me 2.000.000 Berries for what you dared to say just now about the entry fee. "

Ash: " WHAT THE FUCK ?! " He had roared, outraged by the exaggerated amount demanded by the navigator, while he had only been telling the truth.

Nami: " Then, go with the 3 idiots, at least you won't be doing nothing. "

Ash: " And what if I told you to go fuck yourself ? "

/- Later-/

Ussop: " If you want to survive, you will learn not to talk like that to Nami when she gives orders. And also to do what I say. I am the real brain of this crew after all. "

Ash had finally been forced to follow them, having been beaten up by Nami, who didn't liked at all the way he spoke to her. Thus explaining that he had at the moment a heavily swollen face, covered with bump, visible even in spite of his scarf which hid a large part of his face.

Ash: " First, I don't believe you. Second, the problem lies in 3 points : I say what I think without any filters, I don't like getting bossed around AND I love making people go mad. An explosive cocktail, isn't it. "

Ash, thus following Luffy, Sanji and Ussop head to Pagaya's place, getting reserves for the continuation of their journey when Ussop noticed that something was wrong with the Merry. Sanji seized Ussop's telescope, which he aimed at Nami one moment before he began crying.

Sanji: "Why did you put on that T-shirt ? AAAAAAH ! "

Ash: " Really, man? Is that all that matters to you ? Because T-shirt or not, it seems like they are in a dire situation. "

Indeed, thanks to their spyglass, they were able to see some kind of huge lobster under the boat, transporting the latter far off, some sort of huge snakes in their pursuits.

Sanji(Trembling): " why is she wearing a T-shirt ? "

Ussop (slapping the air): "Get over it ! "

Ash: " A gentleman, but also such a pervert. What a mix."

Ussop: " Luffy! This is bad ! What do we do now !? "

Luffy: " where are they going ? "

Ash: " I don't know, but we are not leaving them a choice about it. "

Pagaya: " This lobster is God's servant. Anything it transport is always a sacrifice for God. In other words, they are going to the northeast portion of Upper Yard. To the 'Sacrificial Altar'. "

Ash: " Sacrificial? AH! A nice place for relaxing, right? "

Paddled: " For sacrifices… I only heard about it. In Heaven's Judgement, There are two types of punishments for criminals. One is 'sacrifice' and the other is 'Trial'. That's what I heard. In other words, they are now in God's hands. They're called sacrifice's, but they are actually hostages. Which means the ones being judged… Are you 4 right here !"

Luffy: " I don't care for those sacrifice or I don't know what. No matter what is waiting for us there. I have to find Nami, and the other, so we can continue our adventure. So we are going to beat those trials !"

Pagaya: " Don't be careless ! Those four priest are stronger than you think ! Most importantly, God Enel himself is in Upper Yard ! "

Luffy: " I'm going to go anyway. I won't let my friends down. "

Seeing his determination, Ash smiled before getting up, turning to the others.

Ash: " Well, I think that we don't have that much of a choice. Let's go get a closer look at this God's domain. "

 **And done. I hope you'll like it. Don't hesitate to leave a review, to give me some advice or just say what you think about it. See you next time !**

 **Next time : Let's go to Upper Yard ! Trial of the Balls and the Merry on the Sacrificial Altar !**


	3. Chapter 3 : Trial and Shockwave

**Hello there ! I hope you are all well. We are all gathered here today for the third chapter of this One Piece fic with the discoveries of my OC's power. Have fun !**

 **P.S.: I am not the owner of One Piece, only my OC belongs to me.**

 **Chapter 3: Trial and Shock Wave**

/- Skypiea, Lovely Street -/

Once they decided to go find their friends, taken by a giant lobster heading for God's domain, Luffy, Ussop and Sanji, always accompanied by Ash, the scarf wearing hitch-hiker, were now on Lovely Street, the only big street of the sky island. Conis led them to the port of the island, to embark for Upper Yard. However, while they walked along the street, they noticed that the winged citizens looked at them strangely, clearly tensed. Things that Luffy seemed to be the only one not to noticed, the others 3 slightly tensed because of those looks.

Ash (thinking, frowning): "It's really weird. I'm aware that the fact that we are criminals is not a secret anymore, but what are they afraid of ? Is it the punishment they are afraid of ? But why ?"

After a few minutes of walking, they arrived in front of a strange statue, in a glass case. She represented some kind of weird humanoid creature with its arms crossed on the front and two prominent canine on its lower jaw.

Luffy: "His expression is weird. What's this ? Is it a seal ?"

Sanji: "It look like some statue, probably some religious figure !"

Ussop: "Stupid, this is art ! Only I understand. "

Ash: "I prefer saying nothing. I don't really want to blaspheme anyone. We are already fucked up as it is."

Conis: " That's ' Vearth '. The idol of the citizens of the sky."

Ash: "Yeah, good thing I said nothing. I would have been struck by lightning for sure. AHAHAH!"

Ussop: "You have a weird sense of humor."

Ash: "And you saw nothing. This is just the beginning, Pinocchio."

Ussop: "I'm sorry ?"

Without answering Ussop, Ash turned to follow Conis, Sanji and Luffy, dragged by the cook, heading for the dock, without noticing McKinley, looking at them, snickering, without knowing that Ash saw him, the latter being more and more wary about what was going to happen. Once at the dock, they discovered with what they were going to go to Upper Yard. It was a kind of small boat with a figurehead shaped like a crow, propelled by 2 dials, like the Waver. Once the last instructions were given by Conis, the 3 pirates got ready to go on board but Ash stopped to ask a last question to Conis.

Ash: " I would like to know one last thing before leaving. "

Conis: " Y-Yes, what is it ? "

Ash: " Ever since we left your home, you never stopped shaking like a leaf. What's the problem ? Besides, I have a feeling that it is linked with the way the people are looking at us since then. "

Ussop: " Wait, you think that because you helped us, people are going to think that you are our accomplice? "

Luffy: " You should have just told us, if you're that scared. We could have come here by ourselves. "

Ash (thoughts): " I feel like it's more than that. "

Conis: " I … It's strange. Right ? … Carefully explaining the details about the trial… And then taking you here… It's like tricking you to come here… "

Ash: " …To die. "

2 simple words which brutally changed the atmosphere. However, it doesn't mean that the 3 pirates had visible reactions at the moment. Other inhabitants began to shout, ordering her to say nothing, to stop talking, but Conis didn't stop.

Conis: " I'm sorry ! The one who called the Super Speedy Shrimp… It was me ! "

Sanji: " The giant shrimp that kidnapped Nami-swan and the others ? You called for it !? "

Conis: " After discovering a criminal, if we don't take them to the judgement ground, we will get killed ! This is our 'civic responsibility'… ! I'm sorry ! "

The 4 citizens of the Blue Sea were in shock following this revelation. Conis, the nice girl who welcomed them on this island, was forced to send them to their death because of the sky islands laws.

Citizens: " Shut up now ! What are you doing !? That's blasphemy ! "

Luffy: " You're really stupid … You did it because you had no other choice, right ?! So why … "

Luffy, Ussop, Sanji (shouting) : " WHY DID YOU TELL US ?! "

Ash: " Wait a second …* _That's blasphemy !... I would have been struck by lightning for sure. AHAHAH! .._.* (sighing) My instinct can be a real pain in the ass sometimes. "

Immediately after those words were said, a bluish glittering light appeared in the sky, while a mass of energy of the same color was falling on Conis. Luffy dived in, trying to take Conis out of the way, but couldn't go far enough, still under the divine judgment. When the latter finally reached the ground, the power of the explosion blew up all the dock in a deafening crash which resounded for several seconds. When everything calmed down and when the smoke finally dissipated, there was an enormous hole in the center of what it remained of the dock. And there was no trace of Luffy, Conis and Ash.

Sanji: " Hey! Where are you?! "

Ussop: " Luffy?! Conis!? "

Ash: " That please me to see that you did not forget me. "

By hearing Ash's voice, the 2 other pirates turned their head to see Ash, sitting on the ground on the other side of the hole, Luffy and Conis by his side.

Ussop: " Hey, in the end, you almost got light-struck, isn't it ? "

Ash: " Keep your sarcasms, Pinocchio. At least, we are alive. "

Sanji: " But how could you save them ? What did you do ? "

Ash: " I have my secrets. "

Gan Fall: " You were lucky, I would say. "

The knight of the sky had just arrived, being astride on Pierre, in his bird shape, hovering over Luffy, taking Conis with him.

Gan Fall: " I will temporary take care of this girl. I will not let her get attacked. Now you know the truth about country… You should decide what you will do by yourself. Good luck. "

After those words, he flew away, disappearing far off with Conis, while the 3 pirates and their hitch-hiker got on board the Karasumaru, heading to Upper Yard.

/-Later, at Upper Yard-/

Luffy, Ussop, Sanji and Ash were aboard the Karasumaru, sailing on a road of cloud heading for Upper Yard, whose immense forest finally appeared.

Ash: "Wow, you think that this forest exists on the map ?"

Ussop: "Yeah, there is one. But it is a normal forest, not like that one."

Sanji: "If this map was found more than 200 years ago, it is without a doubt even older. After all those years, it is normal that the forest changed."

They finally arrived at the entrance of Upper Yard, statues representing Vearth, like in Lovely Street, lining the cloudy river like guards observing the travelers. Besides the statues, there were also torches with skulls and spears, but also a lot of boats wreckage. Which did not helped reassuring Ussop.

Ussop: "There's something out there!"

Luffy: "That's cause this is a forest …"

Ash: "You're missing the point here, monkey boy."

Sanji: "No ! Just look around us. Those are the wrecked ships, right !?"

Luffy: "Because this is a forest."

Ussop (seeing Ash who had just taken out a Den Den Mushi): "What are you doing ?"

Ash: "Hello, the point ? Where are you ? Luffy needs you."

Ussop (sweat-dropping): "You are pushing jokes way too far."

While Ash got ready to answer, he saw a long and thin form quickly approaching their boat. When he saw what it was, he put a hand behind the boat, near a water.

Ash: "Hang on!"

*BOOM* A small explosion rang and the Karasumaru was thrown forwards, barely avoiding a gigantic axe which cut the river where the Karasumaru was a few seconds earlier. Once they got over the shock, Luffy found his voice once again.

Luffy: "What was that ? A scythe monster ?"

Ussop: "Watch out, there is another one !"

Luffy (hearing mechanisms): "No, not just one … PADDLE AS FAST AS YOU CAN !"

As soon as Luffy had given his order, many axes began oscillating over the river like pendulum, the small boat sliding between them to avoid being cut in half.

Sanji: "What the hell's going on ?!"

Ussop: "Look ! In front of us ! Luffy, hit the brake!"

Luffy: "It's too late ! Take the wheel, Ussop !"

While saying that, the straw hat wearing man turned around, pulling his arms behind him.

Ash: "He is not going to do what I think he is going to do ?"

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO BAZOOKA!**_

Ash (cross-legged, in the air): "Well, he did it."

The Karasumaru flew away, landing far from the section covered by the axes, to be finally attacked by some kind of giant cloud eels, whom they got rid with no problem at all to finally arrive in front of a giant face which had a hand of raised in front of it, as to stop them. On each fingers (except the thumb) were doors with text above.

Sanji: "Trial of swamp, Trial of iron, Trial of string, Trial of balls."

Ash: "So we are choosing the trial we are facing ourselves ? Interesting."

Ussop: "So now God wants to play a game with us... ?!"

Luffy: "OK, we'll choose Balls. It sounds fun, yeah ?"

Ussop: "This is a trial. How can it be fun ?!"

Sanji: "Yeah … But I choose Balls too ! It's the only one that doesn't sound violent."

Ash: "You like balls, then ?"

Sanji (shark-teeth): "STOP WITH YOU FUCKING PUN, YOU DUMBASS !"

While Sanji began to got mad, Luffy had managed to get the Karasumaru towards the entrance of the Trial of Balls, making them enter a long dark tunnel, an exit already visible at the end.

Ash: "You know what? I wonder if there is a good exit. Without trial I mean."

Sanji: "It's stupid. Why would they do that, it doesn't make sense."

Ash: "Or maybe, it is the only one without test and we are going to be thrown directly into the Blue Sea. AHAHAHAHAHAH!"

Ussop: "Your sense of humor is really fucked up."

Ash: "Yeah. As much as Sanji's eyebrows."

Sanji: "Hey!"

The Karasumaru finally arrived at the end of the tunnel and once they got used to the light once again, they found themselves …

In the air, with just the void underneath them.

The reactions of the pirates were unanimous: the surprise and the horror. Except for Ash, as always sitting cross-legged, half-closed eyes, his face half hidden in his scarf, clearly annoyed.

Ash: "I think I should stop making lousy predictions like this one."

Ussop, Luffy, Sanji: "NO SHIT, SHERLOCK ?!"

Sanji: "But why we aren't falling ?"

Ash: "Gravity don't works as long as we aren't looking downward. Like in some kind of cartoon or anime."

Luffy: "Is that so?"

Luffy, like always the curious and naïve one, looked at the cloud beneath them, making the boat fall.

Ussop: "HE WAS RIGHT!"

Ash: "LUFFY, YOU STUPID ASS MONKEY !"

The fall was shorter than expected, because they landed on a river of clouds, in the middle of Upper Yard. But it did not help them feeling any better.

Ussop (trembling, in tears): "That was scary… I thought I would actually fall 10 000 meters…!"

Ash: "Well, all's well in the end."

Sanji: "You shut up. Did you purposely say those misleading stuff !? Next time, when you want to make a joke of this kind, don't ! Anyways…, where are we ?"

Indeed, the Karasumaru sailed along the cloudy river in the middle of Upper Yard, surrounded by a lot of ball shaped clouds, floating almost everywhere. In front of them, the Milky Road divided into several ways, running between the trees.

Ash: "So here it is, the Trial of Balls ? I got to say that I'm a little disappointed."

Luffy: "Maybe we did chose the only one without a test. If we had taken the others, we might have fallen to the Grand Line."

Ash: "I like your optimism, capuchin (AN : some kind of small monkey, google it), but those trials are supposed to be used as judgment for the criminals. I think that all of them are dangerous, we better stay on our guard …"

But that Luffy and Ussop, who had accepted the theory of his captain, didn't listened, eating biscuits while having fun with the spheres which floated around them.

Ash (sweatshirt-dropping): "… Or you can give no fuck, it also works I guess."

But while they were using a cloud to play volleyball, with biscuit in their mouth, a snake suddenly came out of the cloud, the reptile jumped on Ussop who had just had time to avoid the bite before Luffy send it back far away with a kick.

Ash: " Like I just though. Are they all snakes egg ? "

Ussop (pointing towards an approaching ball): " Hey ! Sanji ! In front ! Cloud !"

Expecting it to be a snake once again, Sanji kicked it but when he touch the cloud, the latter exploded, burning the 4 passenger of the board, who stayed without moving for a moment, Sanji's foot still in the air, surprised by what just happened.

Sanji: " WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING WITH THOSE ORB ?!"

? : " HoHoho! Isn't it fun not knowing what'll appear ? These are called 'surprise cloud'. "

When the 4 guys heard that voice, they turned around and were faced with a guy sitting cross-legged on one of these orb, dressed in a white overall with oranges gloves and boots. He had long red hair covered with a yellow hat and wearing yellow glasses with grey frame. Like the other inhabitants of the sky islands, he also possessed a pair of wing on his back.

? : " HoHoHo ! Welcome to my Trial of Orb. "

Luffy: " Yours ? This is your Trial of Orb ? "

However, Luffy's question never get an answer, because the priest began dancing on his cloud, as if he didn't gave a damn about what was happening.

Ash: " Hey, bowling ball ! What did you do to the rest of our crew ? "

Sanji: " You aren't part of the crew. "

Ash: " Go back to your frying pans. It's the captain who decide that, not you. "

Sanji: " You little .. RAH. Luffy ! What's your opinion on that ? "

Luffy ( ignoring him ): " Tell us where are Nami and the others! "

? : " You mean the sacrifices ? I don't know. They'll die if they are left here, but if they escape, they'll still die … "

Luffy: " What ? "

? : " You should worry about yourselves. After all, if you can't beat me, you can't move forward. "

With this, he began jumping from ball to ball, getting closer to the boat with each jump. Luffy tried to strike him, but his blow was easily avoided at point-blank range by the priest who placed his hand in front of Luffy's face, who was then sent back by a small detonation, his face bleeding despite his rubber body, before collapsing on the ground.

Ussop: " How… Luffy !? It's just a normal punch. It should have no effect on you ! "

? : " Punch ? There's a little difference. "

Sanji then threw himself on the Priest, ready to kick him on the face when …

? : " Rising right kick … "

Sanji (swinging his right leg): " COLLIER … What!? "

? : " It's a power only great monks have… Mantra ! "

Sanji (thoughts): " Impossible … This guy can predict my movement ! "

Like Luffy, Sanji was thrown on the ground by the same small detonation created by the Priest, joining Luffy on the land, before being joined by Ussop and Ash, struck by the priest.

? : " This is different from a mere punch … _**IMPACT !**_ Impact causes damage directly inside the body. My name is Satori ! I'm one of the almighty God Enel's Priest. This Forest of Illusion is under my control ! "

Luffy: " Forest of Illusion ? "

Satori: " Indeed. From now on, your boat is going to drift around on the Milky Road in this forest and soon, it will exit the forest by itself. Do you get it ? Without this Dial Boat, you can't get to the Altar of Sacrifice. You have to get back on board before it leaves. Altrhough these surprise cloud and me will not allow you to succeed. Welcome to the foridden holy land, Upper Yard… In this forest of Illusion, the chance of survival is 10% ! It's the Trial of Orb !"

Ash: " OK, so it's basically a race against time. Very well. Guys, catch up the boat, I'll take care of this guy. "

Satori: " Hooo ? Even with the three of you teaming up together, you would have no chance of winning. Do you really think you can beat me alone ? "

Ash: " Well, a 10% chance of survival mean that you're not invincible, and to be honest, I have to show how I fight if I want to gain their trust. And furthermore, I have a small surprise for you, chubby boy. "

Sanji, Luffy and Ussop looked attentively, ready to discover what that guy was really capable of.

 _ **SHOCK BOOST: MOVE !**_

Suddenly, a deaf explosion rang as Ash took off from the ground, like thrown by an invisible strength. Afterward, other explosions were heard, each time with a sudden change of direction from Ash, who quickly end up at Satori's level. But thanks to his Mantran, he already knew what Ash was going to do and already placed his hand, aiming at Ash face. But even knowing what was going to happen, Ash just smiled.

 _ **IMPACT!**_

The strength of the blow was visible from the land, the air waving around the impact point. But nevertheless, surprising everyone, including Satori, the impact had no effect on Ash, who had not moved a centimeter and kept smiling.

Ash: " Not bad. *grad Satori's wrist* Now it's my turn ! "

He placed his hand against Satori's face, like the Priest did for them, the hand began to cover itself with small undulations which gathered in the palm of his hand.

 _ **SHOCK PALM!**_

*BAM* Satori was struck right in the face by an impact similar to his, which sent him backward to crash into a tree, some blood coming out of his nose. He recovered rather quickly, getting on a ball, a mixture of surprise, incomprehension and anger displayed on his face.

Satori: " But why did my impact had no effect ? What did you do ?! "

Ash: " Oh, not much. It's just that this kind of attack is not going to work that much anymore. I hope you have other trick up your sleeve, otherwise it's going to be quite a short battle. "

Meanwhile, Luffy and the others tried to return to the Karasumaru, leaving the fight to Ash, glancing at him sometimes, only to see him and Satori exchanging blows, or trying, Ash's dodging and Satori's Mantra making landing blow quite difficult. But their real problem was the orbs, which were particularly annoying. They were everywhere and as soon as they finally saw the boat, surprise cloud appeared out of nowhere, preventing them from progressing, with explosion and other traps. But after some times, Luffy snapped, fed up with all this shit.

Luffy: " Those things are pissing me of ! "

Sanji tried to stop him, but it was too late. Luffy used a _**GOMU GOMY NO GATLING**_ to eject the orbs out of the way, but they just collided with other balls and the forest quickly became like a huge pachinko, the spheres bouncing in all directions, making the progress towards the boat even harder than before.

Sanji: " Great! Well done, Luffy! Thank you! "

Luffy: " Sorry! "

At the same moment, Ash and Satori were still fighting, Satori attacking with his balloons while dodging the blows from Ash thanks to the Mantra, also trying to strike him with some impacts, in the hope that the outcome will be different than before, but without any success. Ash evaded the balls thanks to his powers, which allowed him to brutally change direction while being in the air. He took advantage of it to rush at Satori, and he succeeded in catching his hand but he was thrown back immediately by an explosive orb coming from his right.

*BOOM* Ash was thrown far off, landing on another ball, which was unfortunately filled with cactus, their needles piercing his skin before he eventually falls again on the ground. But the satisfaction of Satori didn't last when he realized that his right glove had disappeared and that Ash some kind of red and flat seashell covered with hole in the hand.

Ash: " I see, you use a dial which absorbs the kinetic energy of the physical attacks and which send them back in a sort of shock wave. It is like a man-made version of my power. Well, it is very interesting, but it's time to finish it. Then, it is *BOOM*! "

Ash's speech was cut short by a surprise cloud which had come out of nowhere and had exploded in his back. On his knees, getting his breath back in control, Ash raised his head, and far away, he saw surprises clouds bouncing in every directions, explaining how one of them was able to reach him. He also saw the 3 pirates running in all directions, trying to evade without much success the spheres.

Ash (mumbling to himself): "What the hell are they doing ? "

Returning his attention on Satori, he found him standing on his ball, a sugar cane shaped scepter in the hand, a long dragon made of round clouds by his side.

Satori: " Yes, you are right, it's time to finish it. Let me introduce to you my _**ORB DRAGON**_! He is made of surprise clouds that contain either bombs or blades. If you touch an explosive one, it will create a chain reaction and his whole body will be consumed in a humongous explosion. Give up ! You can't win. "

Ash: " Saddly, ball man, I am not the kind of guy who give up. "

Satori: " I see. Do as you please. "

With this, he swung his stick, and the dragon swept down on Ash, who dodged by throwing himself to the side. While the animal was tailing him, Ash looked at Satori, and more exactly, the way he was moving his stick. A victorious smile then appeared on his face.

 _ **SHOCK BOOST: DODGE!**_

With a boosted jump, he dodged the dragon, who was ready to bite him, and jumped over his head. Then he redirected himself mid-jump and caught a rope attached on the head of the dragon which was connected with the Satori's cane, which was horrified by what was taking place.

Satori: " What !? But how did you know ? "

Ash: " By looking at your movements. It's kinda useful to use his eyes. "

Satori: " Let go of that rope ! "

Satori pulled on his cane to make the dragon come back to him, but he also took Ash with it, who dragged the explosive dragon with him.

Satori: " What? Stop ! Release the grip on the other hand ! "

Ash: " Hello. Did you order a dragon ? "

And it was at this moment that Satori knew… He'd fucked up.

*BOOOOOOOOOOOM*

The explosion was so powerful that the shockwave reached the 3 pirates, getting on Ussop to return on the boat, the surprise cloud having already been destroyed by the pirates. Going back on the crime scene, a big smoking crater had appeared in the middle of the forest, Satori floating above on his cloud, nastily beaten up by the explosion, but still conscious. On the other side of the crater, Ash was laid out on the ground, more charred than Satori, but still conscious.

Satori: " Your small stratagem did not work. It's a shame really. It's been so long since I got a opponent worthy of my time. "

Ash (getting up) : " I wouldn't say that. I was trying to make some kind of diversion long enough to find a way to render your Mantra useless. "

Satori didn't understand what point his opponent was trying to make, until he felt something around his wrist. Looking at his hand, he saw a chain attached on his wrist, the other end of said chain in Ash's hand.

Ash : " As I said, let's end it. "

 _ **SHOCK BOOST: REWIND !**_

Using his impulses, he began spinning on himself really fast, his chain wrapping up around his waist, attracting Satori towards him, the Priest unable to do anything to free himself while he got closer to Ash with each second.

 _ **SHOCK CLOTHELINE !**_

When Satori arrived at his level, Ash struck Satori in the face with a stretched out arm, the Priest colliding with his forearm hard, said forearm emitting a powerful shock wave on the impact, which immediately knocked out Satori.

 _Ash vs Satori: winner(conqueror) - Ash_

Getting his chain back, he returned to the others, to see if they had managed to get back on the boat, which was finally the case, but for a strange reason, they were all collapsed on the boat, covered with bump.

Ash: " Guys, you are serious ? You were fucked up that badly by cloud ? It's pitiful. "

Sanji: " More like bumping into trees because of a damn rope."

Ash : "This isn't making it any less pitiful."

Sanji : "Anyway, you could explain to us this talent of yours, no ? "

Ash: " No problem, I will. But only after founding the others. I don't really want to re-explain 20 times the same thing. "

Sanji : "Fair enough."

The time passed and after leaving the forest, they eventually arrived at some sort of rather gloomy field, because it was covered with skull impaled on wooden spike. But before they could understand what it was exactly, they were surprised by a whole squadron of people which moved thanks to skates similar to those used by the White Berets. One of them, a young man with dark hair in a pony tail, his left hand and face tattooed and his right forearm covered with bandages with a cigarette in his mouth. He was carrying a strangely familiar bazooka which he pointed towards the Karasumaru when he saw who were its passenger.

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO BALLOON !**_

Luffy caught the cannon ball by filling himself with air, like a pufferfish, sending it back in the surrounding forest, causing an explosion which destroyed a tree.

Ash: " Hey! Isn't that the masked raider we met in the White Sea, when we first arrived ? "

Sanji: " Yes, it is him, I recognize this bazooka. "

? : " So you are the ones… the citizens of the Blue Sea that caused a racket in Skypiea. If you don't want to die, go back to the Blue Sea. Don't try to do anything weird on this island… Otherwise, I'll treat you like Enel and eliminate you, too ! "

After that, they disappeared, leaving behind them a frustrated Luffy, wanting to make him make this guy regret his attacks on his crew. But Ash had frowned by thinking again about what this dude had just said.

Ash (thoughts): " Killing Enel ? They want to kill 'God' ? But why ? "

In spite of this intervention, the 4 comrades continued their journey, entering another forest but this time, far off, they perceived a sort of lake with in the middle of it a kind of pyramid and on it was the Vogue Merry. A little farther on the side, they saw 3 silhouettes, more precisely of Robin, Nami and Zoro, which let them deduce that Chopper was still on the boat.

Sanji: " YAAAAHHH! Nami-swan! Robin-chwan! I finally passed the Trial of Love ! "

Ash: " You need to keep it in your pants dude. "

The boat approached the coast, the captain being the first to disembark, followed by Sanji, Ussop and Ash, in this order.

Zoro: " You are all beaten up. What the fuck happened ? "

Luffy: " We end up facing one of those Priest. He was a strong guy."

Nami, seeing there an opportunity to humiliate Ash, took place in front of him, a victorious and sadistic smile on her face, arms crossed.

Nami: "And I imagine that Luffy saved your sorry ass, right ? I knew it from the beginning that you were nothing but a 'all bark, no bite' kind of guy."

Ussop: "In fact, he is the one who beat the Priest. We were floored quickly by the guy and he was kind of immunized to his main technique, so ..."

Nami's face, which had turned to Ussop, decomposed by hearing that. And she could literally hear Ash smiling in front of her whereas she refused to look at him, mortified. Zoro was laughing his ass off while Ash decided to push her as close as possible to her edge.

Ash: "I accept compliments, you know. Go to it. Say' Well done, Ash '. Come on.".

Nami blushes more and more, whereas veins began to pop dangerously on her fist and forehead, the others taking a step back, just in case she would explode. And it was the case. She threw her tightened fist back to punch him, but Ash just placed his right hand in front of her torso, middle finger folded and kept in place by its thumb, a small sphere of air waving at the end of his middle finger.

 _ **WAVE GUN !**_

He flicked his finger, throwing the small sphere on Nami, who was thrown back, landing on her ass on the ground. This action took the others by surprise, but Ash quickly cut them.

Ash: "Shoge Shoge no Mi. Or Fruit of Shockwaves. You wanted to know what was my power, here it is. I create shock waves. Either thrown like I just did, which I call WAVE. Or then directly on my body, which I call SHOCK."

Luffy quickly asked a question, while holding back Sanji with Zoro, the cook wanting to pummel Ash 'attacking' Nami.

Luffy: "But how can you fly, then ?"

Robin: "Fly ? Really ?"

Ash: "Well, I don't really fly."

At that, he did a demonstration, taking off the ground suddenly, then brutally changing direction several times while in mid-air before landing.

Ash: "I create shock waves on my body. Very powerful and concentrated, enough at least to be able to make my body change direction. And this is how I sent Sanji flying through the lounge of Pagaya and Conis's house, I countered with a shock wave powerful enough to send him flying."

Luffy: "So, it's a mysterious power."

Ash: "I think the real mystery is rather where is your god damn brain, capuchin. I couldn't be any clearer about my power."

Luffy: "A mysterious power, it is, then. Ah, and one more thing."

*BAM* Luffy had just punch Ash in the face, a gesture who took everybody by surprise.

Luffy: "Nobody hurts my navigator."

With this, he left, heading to the boat. The others, having recovered from their state of shock, followed him. But Ash did not fail to notice Nami's scarlet face due to the words Luffy said. Ash exulted. He had probably found a way to tease the witch.

 **OK, one more ! I hope that you enjoyed this chapter, with this small introduction of Ash's powers. I wanted to talk about the ' Next Time ' at the end of the chapters. It is made to tease you on what will be in the next chapter, but at the same time, I try to make sure that the chapter don't take too long to be written. I am actually on a rhythm of 7-8 days for a chapter, translation included (by knowing that in a week, from Monday till Friday, I can spend about just 1 hour on it). Thus, I'm trying my best to put all I mentioned in the teaser in the chapter, but if the chapter became too long to write than what I planned, I could be forced to not follow the teasing. I say that because for the next chapter, it could be the case, so I'm sorry if it came to be the case.**

 **Also, next week-end, from the 18 to the 21, I won't be home so I won't be able to write anything, so there will be a small pause. This next week I'm going to work on the French chapter for my Fairy Tail fic, but I won't be able to do the translation over the said week-end, so it will be done over the following week and I'll return to my basic rhythm the week after, starting the 28.**

 **I hope you understand and accept my apologies for the inconvenience.**

 **Next Time: the real nature of Upper Yard. Repairs and gold hunting. Face to face with God.**


	4. Chapter 4 : Explanations and meet God

**Hello everybody! I hope everything's alright for you. For me, everything's great, even if my hay fever is slowly killing me, I still have the strength to write this fic. It will be a transition chapter, mainly focusing on the origin of Upper Yard and the reasons why Ash followed the crew.**

 **Well, let's get going !**

 **Ah and before I forget, I'm not the owner of One Piece, Ash is my only possession here.**

 **Chapter 4 - Explanation and meeting God**

All the team was gathered on one of the lake's side in the center of which stood the Sacrificial Altar, all sitting around a campfire, sharing a meal made of roasted celestial island fishes while Ussop was busy summarizing everything that happened since their separation at Angel Beach. This way, they all could learn what the others learned on the island. First was Luffy's group, meaning learning about the sky island law the citizen of the sky had to follow, Gan Fall ensuring Conis safety and of course them facing the Trials of Balls with the fight against Satori. Ussop had happily told this story to his companions, although more than 75% had to be corrected by the 3 others members of the group since Ussop kept telling everyone about his heroic behavior no one believed in, except for Chopper. One might as well say that hearing Luffy, and even Sanji, praising the abilities of Ash and how he took care of the Priest by himself gave some of the crew members the right to be suspicious : A guy who appear on their boat without any kind of warning and who is being so useful, it was enough to make a lot of persons suspicious, particularly Nami who had already a bad opinion of the scarf wearing guy. Next came Chopper's story, who told that after the departure of his 3 companions, one of the 3 other Priests, a man armed with a spear that could set aflame everything it touched and teaming up with a fire breathing bird, which explained why the Going Merry was in such a bad shape, but also the wounds on Gan Fall and Pierre, who came to help Chopper after the latter used the whistle offered by the knight of the sky when they first came to the sky island. But what was the most important for the moment, it was what Nami, Robin and Zoro had discovered, which Ussop was already about to summarize.

Ussop (pointing at a chalkboard with a stick): " OK, Thanks for everyone's report. With all those information, a lot of things became clear. However, the most important information is that this island is the one Cricket and his apes friends are looking for ! "

Luffy: " What ?! Really ? "

Nami: " That's what I just said a minute ago. I swear your IQ is getting lower and lower for each passing day or something. "

Nami sighed of exasperation whereas Ash turned to the straw hat wearing captain.

Ash: " It's a mysterious power of Grand Line that sent the golden city to the sky. "

Luffy: " Ah, I get it. Thanks for the explanation, Ash. "

Ash (smiling widely): " No problem. My pleasure. "

Nami gritted her teeth, clearly annoyed, when Ash hand her a book. A book entitled ' How to teach for dummies ' with a small note stuck on it : " I think that you will need this. Ash ". Nami was within an inch of exploding, but showing an exceptional composure, she succeeded in calming down, just throwing the book in the flames of their improvised barbecue, without looking at him. But Ash stretched out, just to whisper in her hear.

Ash : "You know, you'll have a better chance in winning his heart if you stop being such a bitch."

Nami suddenly became as red as the hot coal in the fire, eyes wide before doing what she did best to hide her embarrassment : she slapped the hell out of him. He was sent flying into the tree, under the shocked eyes of the other, who didn't understand what happened. When they turned to Nami to get explanations, they were met with a dark glare stuck on a crimson skin, anger and embarrassment seeping out of her whole being.

Nami : "If someone open his mouth about this, I rip his tongue with my teeth. Am I clear ?"

No one said anything, at least until Luffy decided to broke the ice. But luckily, he wasn't dumb enough to do what Nami just forbid.

Luffy: " Gold, eh ? I've been waiting for an adventure like this ! "

Nami (forgetting all her anger all of a sudden): " Yep, as I am. If you're interested, things shall go smoothly."

Ash (wearing a doctor blouse): "I'm sorry Miss, but I think you have brain cancer. It's the only explanation for your sudden memory loss. You have 3 days to live. I'm sorry. "

Ussop (ignoring Nami throwing everything she could at Ash) : "Oi, Luffy ! Did you forget that rider warning ?! "

Ash: " I think he has. I'm afraid he have the same brain tumor than Nami. "

Chopper: " The God will be angry !? "

Ash: " It's probably going to be the case. "

Robin (giggling lightly): " Fufu sounds interesting... "

Ash: " The treasure hunt or the divine wrath? Be more precise. It's difficult to know with a such tone. "

Sanji: "Nonetheless, with treasure to grab, pirates won't stay silent, yeah ?!"

Ash: " No shit, Captain Obvious. "

Zoro: There is no lack of enemies to fight too ! This is a game of survival ! "

Ash: " Well, you are living to fight. Go find yourself a girlfriend… "

Everybody (except Robin and Luffy): " WOULD YOU STOP WITH THE COMMENTS ?! "

Luffy (getting up, grinning widely): " YOSH ! It's decided ! We'll go and find gold ! "

After everybody agreed on that point, everybody got to work to prepare tonight's dinner, a group gone fetching food in the forest while the others stayed at the campsite. It was the case for Luffy, who was asked to watch the water, actually boiling to become drinkable again for the following day and the gold hunt, Sanji was preparing the meal with what he already had. Nami on the other hand was drawing the full map of Jaya. Lastly, Ash was laid out on a root looking at the surroundings. This is when Chopper and Zoro came back from their hunt with some edible plants and animals.

Chopper: " Sanji, we found a lot of stuff ! Walnut, aloe, bananas and garlic. "

Zoro: " Rats and frogs. "

Sanji: " Great, throw them all into the stew. "

Nami: "Hold it ! There's some weird ones mixed in there."

Sanji: " Oh, it's true, sorry. You don't like garlic ? "

Nami ( Shark-teeth): " That's not that ! "

Ash (turning to Nami): " Are you a cook ? "

Nami: " No. Why ? "

Ash: " Then shut your motherfucking mouth and eat what the chief is cooking. "

Nami (mega irritated): " I really am going to kill you, you fucker."

The navigator was stopped dead in her track when she saw Robin coming back from her exploration, a large blue crystal in her arms.

Nami (stars in her eyes): "Wow, Robin ! What is this blue rock you found ? A gemstone ?!"

Ash (glasses in front of his eyes, writing on a pad): "If the navigator throws a fit, talk about money or treasure to calm her. It's very interesting."

Sanji: "Is that crystallized salt ? What a good find, Robin-chwan!"

Ash (seeing Nami's shoulder dropping a little) : "Is that disappointment I'm smelling ?"

Nami : "Shut up."

Later, everybody was gathered around a campfire so that Nami could explain what she had found about the island. While everyone ate their meal, she explained the situation and the history of the island to the others.

Chopper: "On the Knock-Up Stream ?"

Nami: "It's the best explanation about how the island end up here. Cricket said that the Knock-Up Stream location varies every time. Considering the power of this thing, it is completely possible that it was able to send an island to the clouds."

Ash: "Which explains why nobody have never found the slightest clue about the island. It's because the island didn't sank in the Grand Line, since it has always been here in the sky."

Nami: "Indeed. Now, do you remember what Norland wrote in his diary ?"

Luffy (raising the hand): "I know. He saw gold!"

Ash (faking the surprise): "What a great memory. You didn't crushed your brain by thinking so much."

Robin: "On the last page of the diary … There was something special. ' I saw gold in the right eye of the skull. '."

Nami: "Exactly! Look at that, that's how Jaya looked 400years ago, the same Norland discovered before it was cut in two by the Knock-Up Stream." After that, she put her map to allow the others to see what it was exactly. Actually, the island of Jaya was shaped like a human skull, the current Jaya, still on Grand Line forming the jaws of the skull.

Ash: "So the legendary golden city should be located on Upper Yard ? It's interesting."

Nami: "There's no doubt about it ! There's a huge amount of gold waiting for us here !"

Once the euphoria of the moment fell down, the seriousness disappeared with it as fast as it had arrived, already talking about campfire. The 2 idiots of the group, Luffy and Ussop, refusing to put out the fire like Robin was suggesting, despite knowing really well that it could reveal their position to their enemies.

Luffy (on his knees): "Lighting a campfire is an obvious thing !"

Ussop (in the same position): "It's the way of life to have a campfire on a camping night, even if we die tonight !"

Nami: " You're the ones who are stupid. "

Ash (writing on a notepad): "I can confirm that there is 2 complete morons in this crew."

Zoro: "Yo ! Luffy ! "

By hearing the swordsman voice, they all turned to him, who stood next to a pile of logs, probably made with Sanji who was standing on the other side.

Zoro: " How's that for a woodpile ? "

Ash (looking at them): " (returning to his notepad) As I was saying, 4 complete morons. "

The 4 morons : " Hey ! "

And soon, despite what Nami and Robin could say on this subject, the woodpile was set aflame much for the joy of the straw hats, even Nami who quickly forgot her anger, and they were even joined ed with the local animals, more precisely some kind of wolf, everyone dancing around the fire, under the amused eyes of Robin, Zoro, Nami and Ash, who had stayed on the sides, two of them busy drinking all they could. Suddenly, a new voice was heard, approaching the pirates.

Gan Fall: " Even the cloud wolves have been tamed. There's nobody else that would dare to cause so much noise in Enel's home. "

The knight of the sky took a seat next to the pirates, before speaking once again.

Gan Fall: " Do you know why it is called the holy land ? It's because here in the sky, this ground was unheard of. The clouds ca nurture the plants, but it can't give birth to them. Greenery and soil are not things of the sky. We call this ' Vearth '. For us, it will forever be admiration itself. "

This small discussion finished, Nami got back on a subject which need to be clarified before getting ready for the next day.

Nami (addressing Ash): " Before going to sleep, I think that it's time for you to tell us why you followed us at Mock Town. And I would also like to know where you are coming from."

Ash (Sighs and sits down) : "OK, where do you want me to begin ? "

Nami: " Your family for example. Wait, lets me guess. Given that you are of the kind of guy who talk big, I think you are a guy who is looking for the thrill of a pirate life but who has to depend on a powerful group because alone he would be unable to do such a journey all alone. Maybe even a spoiled childhood with parents always there for … "

Ash: " My mother was killed in front of me, shot in the head by a son of a bitch in the middle of a street. "

The sudden answer stopped Nami in her rant, her face frozen by the surprise, especially as she just discovered that she had something in common with this guy : their mothers were both murdered, and almost in the same way. What surprised them most however, it was the expression on his face. The usually roguish face of Ash, with a half-smile and a teasing light in his eyes, had completely disappeared, replaced by a dark expression, a bitter smile and a look colder than winter. Apparently, family was a subject more than difficult for him. When he saw Ussop open his mouth, Ash guessed what was going to go out and moved on.

Ash: "As a result, I was alone with my father, a loser who is not the kind of guy who know what family mean. It was 10 years ago."

Zoro: "So, you ran away, that's it?"

Ash: "Not just that. I'm also trying to find the one who killed my mother to punish him since these government fucktard apparently don't care for this kind of crime."

By saying that, he had begun to caress his scarf, in the same way you normally caress a pet, which drew the attention of the pirates.

Sanji: "And this scarf ? It is linked to this story ?"

Ash: "Yeah. It's all I have left from my mother. It's like my treasure in a sense."

Nami: "OK, it's very beautiful and all, but that doesn't explain why you would follow us and not another crew."

Ash: "All the pirates face the Marine, but there are not many who will have the balls and desire to fight against more powerful things, like the World Government. And I have a feeling that you have already put your hand in this affair which shook Alabasta recently."

By ending his sentence, Ash got his usual smile back on his face whereas the others were more than surprised hearing him talk about the kingdom of their friend Vivi. Which meant more questions from the pirates.

Nami: "And what made you think that we had a role in this ? After all, we are pirates. This kind of affair are not our business."

Ash: "As it is, I don't care about the reasons why you got involved in the kingdom affairs, but I am sure at 95 % that you are linked to it. In yesterday's newspaper, there was a whole article which explained how the Marine had dismantled the secret criminal organization of Baroque Works and so revealed the project of Crocodile. But in the same newspaper, there were the new wanted poster concerning your crew. The bonus of your captain passing from 30 to 100 million and the first one for Zoro with 60 million. Yet, according to Log Pose, before Jaya, you have to pass by Alabasta. Which means that you were there when the civil war reached its peak and I find that really strange that the Marine is increasing the worth of your crew from 30 to 160 million Berries without any reason, especially that for such a rise, you probably did something huge. So, am I right or not ?"

Luffy (without any pause): "Yes. Vivi is a friend, so it's normal we helped her."

Rest of the crew (except Robin): "DON'T ANSWER SO QUICKLY !"

Ash: "To help a friend in need, you go fight against one of the 7 Shichibukai ? You really are a one of a kind crew, no doubt about it. Let me guess, the Marine just twist the event to make every one believe they were the one to did it, while the truth is that if it wasn't for a pirate crew, they would have never found anything ?"

Sanji: "Yeah, that's basically what happen. You don't seem surprised that government is doing things like that ?"

Ash: "At the same time, they won't let the newspapers tell everybody that pirates did their job better than them, especially when that reveals that the government is partially responsible for the situation. To explain things easily, you are pirates but you are the kind to do what you want, often for the best. This is why I decided to follow you. Is it enough of an explanation for you ? Well then, I'm going to sleep, see you tomorrow."

While Ash left, falling asleep on a root not far from there, the pirates looked at each other, as to make a decision, while thinking about what their 'guest' had told them.

Ussop: "What do you think, then ? You think he told us the truth ?"

Robin: "I feel that he told the truth, but that he hides quite a lot of details which have certainly a lot of importance in his story."

Zoro: "I don't feel right about this guy. There is too much thing we don't know about him."

Sanji: "Anyway, friend or enemy, he is considered a criminal here, just like us and the Going Merry, even if it is quite in a bad shape, is the only boat with which he could return on Grand Line. Which means that he is not going to try to attack us behind ours back. Or at least not now."

Luffy: "I like this guy. And he has a treasure he want to protect, he can't be a bad guy."

Nami: "This has nothing to do with it, Luffy. Anyway, we are going to let him come with us, but stay all the same on our guard, you never can tell. In the meantime, are going to sleep us, tomorrow is going to be a busy day"

/- The next day -/

All the group woke up almost at the same time, some waking up more badly that others, but Ussop was quite shaken this morning. He had almost jumped up on his friends to tell them something more than surprising: the Going Merry have been repaired over night. Although the pirates thought it was another lie of the sniper or an hallucination, they were all taken by surprise by seeing that the boat had indeed been repaired, metal plates covering the places which were damaged. Even the mast, which had been ripped off and now was put back in place. However, a detail grabbed the attention of the straw hats.

Luffy: " The ship is not in flight mode anymore. "

Ussop: " I've been thinking about that too. How could the guy who fixed out ship know what the Going Merry originally looked like ? "

Ash: " Yeah, because if it's no one of us and knowing that the one who built this boat is probably still back in East Blue , I don't know who that could be. "

Nami: " It doesn't matter. Now that the Merry is fixed, the team ' Escape ' clean up this mess while the team ' Gold hunt ' gets ready to leave. "

Ash: " And those teams are ? "

Nami then explained what group members were. Nami, Sanji and Ussop in the team ' Escape ' would stay on the boat, returning him to Angel Beach to get ready to leave whereas the team ' Gold hunt ', composed of Luffy, Robin, Zoro, Chopper and Ash, would go looking for the golden city, to refill the crew's …

Nami: " and don't forget to bring me as much gold as possible, understood ? "

… Or more precisely the redhead's pocket, the kind of detail bringing a frown on Ash. Having settled the last details, both groups parted. The Merry, towed by the Karasumaru, went further and further away from the Sacrificial Altar, the silhouettes of the other group disappearing more and more through the trees. But Ussop noticed something strange.

Ussop: " It's strange, I see only 4 silhouettes in the other group. "

Sanji (grabbing a spyglass): " Ah it's true. Don't tell me the shitty marimo is already lost ? "

Nami: " Knowing him, it wouldn't be surprising. "

Ash: " Or it's someone who just don't give a fuck. "

Ussop: " Who in the other group would … "

A silence. An annoying silence settled down on the boat, quickly broken by 3 simultaneous roar.

Nami, Ussop, Sanji (surprised): " BUT WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE ? "

Ash (smiling, drinking a soda): " I'm hitching a hike. "

Nami ( Shark-teeth): " WHY AREN'T YOU WITH THE OTHERS, STUPID IDIOT !? "

Ash: " For 2 reasons. One, to balance the strengths, now, we are 4 in each group. Two, because if it's for the gold to end up in your pockets, you can go fuck yourself if you think I'm going to walk through that fucking forest just for you, bitch. "

While Nami began running after Ash, Gan Fall took a seat on the front part of the boat, sat against the railing, to talk to the others about the origins of Upper Yard.

Gan Fall: " As you already know, Upper Yard appeared 400 years ago on the sky islands. Previously, Skypiea was a very peaceful celestial island. From time to time, objects from the Blue Sea reached us thanks to the Knock-Up Stream. For the inhabitants of the sky islands treasure those things. This is how the Vearth arrived here. "

Ash: " And when a whole island made of this ' Vearth ' appeared from above the cloud, they probably saw that as a miracle, a gift from the Gods. "

Gan Fall: " Exact. And as the inhabitants were persuaded that it was about a gift of the sky, as you say, they began to worship it and began considering it as an holy land. "

Ash: " Except that this 'holy earth' was inhabited by the people Norland had met 400 years ago. And that's when a chain of event, which had already arisen more than once in history every time a civilization wanted to seize a land which they saw as sacred : a war. The inhabitants of the sky islands went hunting down those who lived on this island just so they can have their holy land. Which could explain why this group of guerrilleros are trying to fight Enel : they are the descendants of the ones Norland met 400 years ago. "

Ussop: " They just want to get back what belongs to them. But then that means that … "

Sanji and Ussop (pointing at Gan Fall): " So then it's all your fault ! "

Pierre, not liking that those guys were talking badly about his partner, took his equestrian shape to bite the head of both pirates all at once. But Gan Fall didn't deny it, even admitting that it was truly their fault.

Gan Fall: " Yes, indeed. Since then, the tribe of Shandia tried to get back their land we deprived them of. "

Nami: " and this Enel ? Where does he come from? "

The face of Gan Fall darkened, as if the memory of this God was particularly painful.

Gan Fall: " 6 years ago, while I was still a God, he appeared at the head of an extremely powerful group and he gave the Shandian and the God's militia a devastating defeat and he has been in control of Upper Yard since then. Now, the God's militia is forced to collaborate to the projects of Enel, projects of which I ignore everything. Anyway, for Shandia, no matter who carries the name of God, they will do everything to get their land back. "

Ash: " And he set up a sort of tyranny, no ? Forcing the inhabitants to act according to his laws at the risk of undergoing the divine punishment. "

Gan Fall: " Indeed, by forcing the inhabitants to condemn travelers like you, who are automatically seen as criminals, he make remorse grow in their heart, knowing very well that this will make them weaker and easier to control, more easily usable. He act as if he really is an almighty God. He is a powerful man, indeed."

This information was difficult to process for the 4 citizens of the Blue Sea. The situation was much more complicated than what they had thought at first. The inhabitants of the sky islands were prisoner of the terror Enel built and the Shandias had been expulsed of their homeland. In the end, if Enel disappeared, it would solve all of their problem.

Gan Fall: " By the way, what is this golden city you are talking ? "

Everybody turned their head to look at the knight of the sky, almost breaking their neck in the process, absolutely not expecting that he would know nothing about this city.

Ash (thoughts): " How can we find this city if people who lived here all their life have never seen it ? Unless it is hidden, but where ? "

After several minutes during which the crew, mainly Nami, tried to understand how Gan Fall could not know the golden city, they changed subject to talk about the way people are fighting here in the sky. He asked for a barrel which was placed on the boat front deck, a shell identical to the one that Ash had stolen from Satori on it. Then he began talking to Sanji, who held a large hammer in his hands.

Gan Fall: " Hit the top of the barrel with that hammer. "

Ussop: " Wait a sec, Sanji. If you break a hole on the deck, I won't forgive you. "

Gan Fall: " Use all of your strength. Don't hold back. "

Ussop: " Hey ! You can't say that just because this isn't your ship ! "

Sanji: " OK, here I go. "

Despite Ussop's prayers, Sanji struck the barrel with all the strength he could gather, but he didn't broke the barrel. From an outside point of view, it looked like the cook had just put the hammer on the barrel without even trying.

Ash (using in a walkie-talkie): " Michael, you hear me ? Sanji's arm are weak as fuck, do you have a way to get it back ?"

Sanji: " Impossible. I swung as hard as I could. I should've made a big hole. (Turns to Ash) and you, you shut up and where you did you found this thing ? "

Gan Fall: " Now, aim the dial's opening at the barrel and press the top of the dial. "

Sanji did as he was asked, not convinced, but when he finally pressed the button, a kind of explosion came from the dial and the barrel was blown into pieces, the cook was propelled backward, colliding into the railing.

Gan Fall: " This is an Impact Dial. It absorbs and impact to release them later. "

Ash: " So I was right about how those works. This is why that balloon guy could hurt Luffy. An impact is kinda like a shock wave, the damages they are dealing are internal. "

Gan Fall: " Some Dial can be much more powerful than this, and even combined with weapons to give them devastating effects. "

Sanji: " And this Mantra, what it is exactly ? "

Gan Fall: " I don't know how to use Mantra myself, but from what I heard I imagine that Mantra is the ability to listen for the various sounds that a person's body makes. I also heard that they can predict a person's next move by listening. With training, the range of mantra can be increased."

Ash (frowning, thought): " That power looks like the Observation Haki. If this Enel can use it, it's going to make things more complicated than we first planned. *Smelling the air* What is this smell ? Is that … ozone ? "

*KRRZZZZZZT*

Nami and Ussop: " SANJI ! "

In a noise similar to a crackling, a man had just appeared on the railing of the Merry, cross legged in front of a charred up and bloody Sanji. It was a tall man, with short blonde hair covered with a white bandana with brackets shaped eyebrows. Bare-chested, he wore an orange baggy pants with black motives and a blue veil around his waist. He had a kind of golden circle transplanted on his back on which was attached 4 drums. The group understood quite quickly who was in front of them. It was the source of all the problem in the sky. God Ener. And he had just struck Sanji with some kind of lightning.

Ussop: " AAAHH! THAT BASTARD ! HE KILLED SANJI! HIS HEART ISN'T BEATING ANYMORE ! "

Ash: " Ussop, the heart is on the other side. "

Ussop stopped dead. Indeed, he had put his hand on the right side of the cook torso. Placing his hand on his left side, he was relieved, feeling his heart beating, although weakly. His life was still in danger. But alas, he was not the only one whose life was in danger. Ener reappeared abruptly in front of Ussop, striking the sniper without further ado, under the horrified eyes of Nami, Ash and Gan Fall, even if the latter kept a strong composure.

Ash (thoughts): " This guy's power. Could it be ? … If that's the case, I'll need something to fight that guy. I hope that they have some on this boat. "

Discreetly, Ash skipped out of Ener's line of sight, going to look for something he hoped he could find in the boat's hold. But regrettably for him …

*KRRZZZZZZT*

He was thunder struck by Ener, who had seen him trying to escape. Ash, completely burned, fell in the hold through the trapdoor of the main deck, collapsing in a pile of crates. Once our scarf wearing friend was out cold, Ener and Gan Fall were in full discussion.

Gan Fall: " What do you want from us ? "

Ener: " It's been six years since those followers of yours have fell in my hands. Even now they are still quite full of spirit. Some of them even have the guts to disobey ! Anyways, after six years of work… I'm almost done. In other words, I have no more use of this island. I'm just here to say goodbye. That's all. This will make your people very happy, won't it ? Since all they see in this island is the big chunk of 'Vearth' anyways. "

Gan Fall: " What ? What do you mean ? "

Ener: " The reason why we took over this island in the first place, is the same reason to why these punks form the Blue Sea entered this island... It is also the reason why the Shandians keep wanting to take their homeland back ! We all want the legendary golden city of the Blue Sea. We want Shandora. Funnier yet, the ultimate survivor of this game will have all that gold for himself ! And of course, I'm one of the player. "

Gan Fall: " Wait ! Has the God's militia been disbanded ? "

Ener: " That's something only the God can know. "

With this, he disappeared literally in a flash of lightning, leaving behind him a navigator and a knight far too much surprised by everything that had just happened. Once they got over the shock, Nami and Gan Fall had been able to look after Sanji and Ussop and had placed them on mattresses in the boat, but there was a problem. The holds of the boat had been searched, everything they had was scattered on the floor and worst of all, Ash was nowhere to be found.

 **OK, here we are, it's done. With a small cliffhanger in addition. Sorry if this end is a little botched. I am going to try to correct it in the next one, even if I still have some doubts about the contents of said chapter. See you !**

 **Next time: Survival in the forest ! The heirs of Shandora. Montblanc Noland and Calgara.**


	5. Chapter 5 : Shandora's heir

**Hi, everybody! I hope that everything's good for you. Ready for a new chapter of this One Piece fic. In this chapter, a journey in the forest, meeting with the Shandian, the history of the island and divine plan.**

 **Before starting, I would like to clear up a little detail that someone pointed out about Ash and the fact that he 'hates' Nami. In fact, right now, it's Nami who hates Ash since he spends his time putting her out of herself and making snarky remarks. If Ash does that, it is because he likes pushing people to their limit, making them lose their cool and he quickly understood that Nami is the kind of girl to have a really short fuse, which makes her a perfect target for his extreme teasing. Globally, their relation will get better as time goes by, if that can reassure you. And in case some of you were wondering, I still don't know if he'll have a girlfriend but even if he did, it won't be Nami nor Robin.**

 **And one last thing, I am not the owner of One Piece.**

 **HERE WE GO !**

 **Chapter 5 : Shandora's heir.**

Explosions, noise of metal colliding against metal, roaring and even thunderclap. It was all which could be heard in all Upper Yard, because of the battle royale actually taking place on the island, a battle between 3 'teams'. On one side, the Shandians, whose goal was to find and kill Ener, to get back their homeland, lost by their ancestors, although the exact objectives of the group remain rather blurry. On the other side, Ener and his henchmen, who were there to find and stop the intruders, their divine boss himself being a part of this battle. And in the middle of all this mess, the Straw hats pirates crew, being more interested in the city of Shandora for the gold of which she supposed to be built with that anything else but nevertheless got themselves involved in this conflict who became more and more complicated as time passed by. It's in the center of this forest that we found Ash, running like a madman through the trees, a bag carried over his right shoulder, containing what he had taken on the Going Merry before leaving the said boat. He had a very precise objective in his mind, which he kept repeating in his head like a mantra, as if he was afraid of forgetting it.

Ash: " I'm going to find brackets face and make him eat the overgrown watermelon he used as an ego. But the problem is that … "

He stopped, and for the first time since he had left the Merry, which was more than a quarter of an hour ago, looked around him before crossing his arms, pouting and frowning at the same time.

Ash: " … I am lost. "

A tumbleweed passed by.

Ash (roaring with all his might): " BUT HOW IS IT POSSIBLE TO BE SO STUPID ! ASH, WHY DO YOU GO ROAMING WITHOUT HAVING EVEN THE SLIGHT IDEA OF WHERE TO GO ? "

Ash (calmly): " Probably because a city made of gold, I should be able to see it from far. "

ASH (roaring again): " EXCEPT THAT NOBODY ON THE SKY ISLANDS SAW IT, THAT NECESSARILY MEANS THAT IT IS HIDDEN, YOU DUMB ASS BITCH ! "

? : " Does the idea of facing God had driven you crazy ? "

Ash broke out of his monologue to turn his head toward the one who had just talked to him and was faced with several men in white togas, the same skates on their feet as the Shandians, with like everybody here, wings on their back. But what surprised Ash the most was that those mysterious men all had goats shaped heads.

Ash: "Wow. Who would have thought that there is a zoo on the sky islands."

? : "Why are you talking about a zoo ?"

Ash: "Well, you are goats, no?"

Group of ? : "ABSOLUTELY NOT, BÂÂÂSTARD !"

Ash: "You say that, but you bleat like one. If you are no goats, what are you ?"

? : "We are the soldiers of Ener's God militia. And you certainly have to be one of the criminals who entered the sky islands illegally with his companions."

Ash: "Companions is a very big word. But I have to say that if I were the one in charge of this group, I would have paid without any question. It is just that their navigator has sea urchins bigger than her boobs in her pockets."

Militiaman: "For us, it changes nothing. You remain a criminal and must be punished."

Ash (sighing): "I was already struck by lightning less than an hour ago. Isn't it an already big enough punishment ?"

But the only answer he got was to be attacked simultaneously by the 5 militiamen who were facing him until now. Understanding that these guys had to fight like the ball priest he already fought, he decided that it was better not underestimating them. Which means that he wasn't going to hold back.

 _ **SHOCK CLOTHELINE !**_

He welcomed the first one with a clothesline, straight in the neck of the militiaman, which was floored in one blow. Being a fighter of a quite different level that these guys, he felt an attack coming, that he evaded slightly by stepping to the side, the blow of an Axis Dial which would have cut him in two otherwise going to collide with the ground a little farther, whereas he counter-attacked by throwing one of his chains to the aggressor. The chain wrapped around his neck and Ash pulled him towards him, the militiaman approaching him head first.

 _ **SHOCK BROAD KICK !**_

Ash sent his right foot to the face of the poor militiaman, crushing his face and knocking him out.

 _ **AXE DIAL !**_

 _ **WAVE GUN !**_

One of the last militiamen used an Axis Dial in turn, but the attack was countered by Ash and his Wave Gun, the scarf wearing warrior throwing himself on his opponent, catching his face with his right hand, which began to vibrate.

 _ **SHOCK FACE GRAB !**_

The face of the militiaman was struck hard at point-blank range by the shock wave coming from Ash's hand, the young man releasing him so that he got sent far off. By feeling the 2 last militiamen coming towards him from his sides, he threw his 2 chains, which wound around the neck of the 2 goat shaped head.

 _ **SHOCK CHAIN : TWISTER !**_

Chains were stretched out away from Ash, the latter using his shock boost to spin on himself, his chains spinning fast, creating a real iron whirlwind on which the 2 militiamen were attached, spinning with it without having the possibility to free themselves.

 _ **SHOCK CHAIN : SLEDGEHAMMER !**_

He stopped spinning suddenly, unwinding his chains while using the momentum he accumulated to send the 2 militiamen against a tree, which broke under the strength of the impact, putting the 2 men out of commission. Once everybody was out cold, Ash realized something.

Ash: "I should have ask them where to find the golden city, in fact. Well it's nothing, I am going to manage it without."

He resumed his journey, reaching the border of the forest, in front of some kind of meadows covered by huge water lilies looking plants. In the middle of this very bucolic scenery, Ash found himself in front of a man, a Shandia judging by his clothes, still with the same kind of skates on his feet, with a strange hat covering his eyes. He was covered in blood, a rather deep gash on his torso, which was strange given that the militiaman didn't seemed to use swords. Seeing that this man was awake but suffering a lot, Ash approached, taking out some bandages of his bag and, without a word, began treating his wound, which of course made the wounded man react.

? : "Who are you ?"

Ash: "The name's Ash. And how should I call you ?"

? : "Braham. Aren't you one of these criminals from the Blue Sea?"

Ash (taking out an antiseptic): "and you are a Shandian. Given that we are both taking a stroll on the holy land of the 'God Ener', we are in the same boat. Watch out, this will hurt."

Braham (clenching his teeth): "Ghh. I don't see how we could be in the same boat when it's one of your companions who did that to me."

Ash: "A grumpy looking guy and rather stupid with three swords ? Don't take him to seriously, he is strong be also plain stupid."

/- At the same time, somewhere in the sky -/

Zoro: "Achooo! Who just made fun of me ? Bah doesn't matter. AND YOU, THE BIRD, GIVE ME BACK THIS BAG AT ONCE."

And the bird did, releasing the bag, and Zoro at the same time, making him free falling toward the giant snake the two were trying to avoid.

Zoro : "DAMN BIRD !"

/- Back at the water lilies field -/

Ash: "Anyway, this bandage is not going to be very effective, it's just a temporary way to stop the bleeding, but you need to be healed correctly. Your tribe, where is she hiding ?"

Braham (suddenly wary): "Why do you want to know that ? And why would I say it to you ? I do not know you and I have no reason to trust you."

Ash (half smiling): "Maybe, but you don't really have a choice in a way. Either you say it to me and I bring you to your tribe so you can be healed, or you kept being stubborn and I let you rot here, with almost no chance to be found by someone. The decision is yours."

Having balanced the pros and the cons, Braham had to admit that he indeed didn't have the choice and sighed, accepting the proposal of his 'rescuer'.

Braham: "Very well. But I don't really have the strength to stand up by myself."

Ash: "No problem, bro. Come here."

Ash grabbed Braham and helped him getting up before putting him on his shoulders, shaking slightly, Braham not being what we can call a featherweight.

Braham: "Are you sure that you're going to be okay ?"

Ash: "Don't worry, I've already carried things 20 times as heavy as you."

Braham: "And what, if I may ask ?"

Ash: "Your mother. So, we are we going ?"

/- Later -/

The duo progressed in the forest, Braham still on Ash's back, the latter having his face completely messed up, his eyes swelled, his mouth bleeding, and all because of Braham, who didn't really liked the joke Ash made about his mother. They had however been lucky because they had not met a single militiaman. It was a good news as much as a bad one. It meant that they hadn't been worried but at the same time that the number of participants in this battle royale was decreasing more and more, meaning that Ener was approaching its goal at the same time. Having carried Braham through all the forest, Ash, always with the Shandian on his back, had arrived at the edge of Upper Yard, facing the sea of cloud once again.

Ash (disappointed): "I believe that you made a mistake, buddy. There is nothing here except clouds."

Braham: "*sigh* There is more to that than just clouds. Just jump inside, you needs to pass through the clouds."

Ash was skeptical. There was a risk that Braham was lying to him and that piercing the clouds will send him down to the Blue Sea. But he quickly forgot these thoughts. After all, why Braham would lie to him while he was risking the same thing by being on his back ?

Ash: "Well, OK, if you say so. Hang on."

Ash jumped until he was above the clouds. Braham didn't understood what the citizen of the Blue Sea wanted to do and he was brutally cut in his thoughts by a light humming coming from below him. Looking down, he saw waves appearing on the legs of Ash while the latter changed his position in a way his legs are pointing toward the sky.

 _ **SHOCK SKYDIVING !**_

The shock was brutal for Braham. Ash and himself had been throw downward all of a sudden. Ash and the Shandian crossed the cloudy layer and Ash was surprised seeing that he had ended in a zone hidden inside the clouds.

Ash: "Right on time. Hey, bro, we have arrived."

He turned his head to Braham to realize that the latter was completely out cold, knocked out by the more than brutal stroll across the clouds which was slightly too violent for him. Ash stopped one moment on what he had in front of him. Wooden totems representing diverse animals acted as lampposts thanks to the flames in the bowls put above. Instead of houses, big tents were set up here and there. Far off, a kind of huge bean crossed the cloudy layers which framed the village. He didn't need a long time to figure out that this is where the Shandians were hiding since their ancestors had been forced to leave their homeland. And even if this village wasn't enough to convince him, the sudden apparition of dozen of Shandians would have make all those doubt disappear. Men, women and children looked at him, all really surprised to see a non Shandian here. The men had taken out their weapons, ready to defend their tribe, but they did not move, waiting for Ash to makes the slightest wrong movement.

? : " Wait !"

The voice of an old man stopped the guards, who moved away to let a man with a sort of robe with yellow and black vertical stripe and a hat shaped like a dog head, with some kind of red feathers on the top.

? : " I am the chief of this village. Whoever you are, please leave immediately. "

? : " Wait, chief. We can't let him leave like that. "

Ash: " Calm down, I have something with me which is going to be very interesting for you, I'm sure. "

With this, The Shandians looking at him, he bent to put down Braham on the ground, his wound having slightly opened once again. The sight of their companion in a so pathetic state make the Shandians ask a lot of questions, but Ash just brought some explanation to calm them all.

Ash: " I found him on Upper Yard in this state. I did what I could to stop the bleeding, but he needs some real healing. I'm not here as an enemy. "

After some moment of doubts, dissipated by a nod of their boss, the villagers rushed at Braham, taking him in one of the tents so he could be taken care of.

Chief : " It would seem that you also need medical attention. "

The chief and some villagers had stayed behind with Ash, the boss noticing the body still marked by his 'fight' against Ener. Ash looked at himself, understanding the concern of the old man, but he just shrugged it off by shaking his head.

Ash: " I'm going to be alright. I've had much worse. And anyway, I needs to return on Upper Yard. I have a score to settle. "

Chief : " I heard that citizen from the Blue Sea incurred the wrath of the God Ener. You are one of them, isn't it ? Then why would you return there ? It would be simpler for you to leave. "

Ash: " Regrettably, I'm depending of a pirates crew which is really interested in the golden city of Shandora. "

The faces of the villagers and their leader darkened suddenly, not liking that stranger can desire their homeland.

Chief : " Shandora does not belong to you. It belongs to our people, before the inhabitants of Skypiea attacked our ancestors to seize it. "

Ash: " When you talk about ancestors, you are talking about those that Montblanc Norland met 400 years ago, I suppose ? "

The chief froze all of a sudden, just like the rest of the villagers, absolutely not expecting to hear this stranger speak about Montblanc. Facing the surprised look of the villagers, Ash smiles before explaining to them.

Ash: " Below the clouds, on the Blue Sea, Montblanc Norland is known to be a legendary liar. After he discovered and left the golden city, he came back to his homeland to see his king to talk to him about this city. He led him up to the island of Jaya, but when he arrived, the part of the island where the city of Shandora once stood had already been sent to the sky. The king accused Norland to have lied to him and he was executed, becoming the man who had imagined the golden city. "

The villagers were shocked by what they had just heard. The friend of the legendary Calgara had been sentenced to death because of a lie which wasn't one.

Chief (in a low voice, head hanging low): " So this is probably for that that Calgara wanted to relight the flame of Shandora. "

The chief had spoken with a voice ever so quiet, as if he was talking to himself, but Ash had heard it and turned abruptly his head, his face filled with incomprehension.

Ash: " What flame? What are you talking about ? "

Chief : " At the center of Shandora stood a gigantic golden bell, one of the treasures of our people. A bell which could be heard for miles around. When Calgara and the warriors of Shandora tried to protect our earth 400 years ago, he had mentioned he wanted to relight the flame of Shandora, which meant ringing this bell. He had probably hope that the sound of this bell could reach up to his friend to warn him of what was actually happening. It is moreover what Wiper, Braham and the others want to do. "

Ash: " Wiper ? Is it the leader of the Shandians who are on Upper Yard at the moment ? A dude with a bazooka, smoking a cigarette ? "

Chief : " Yes, indeed. But there is no use to go there. Calgara wanted to ring the bell for his friend Norland. But after so many year, there's no point in doing it. They are going be massacred without a reason, I am afraid. "

Ash: " No, it is not too late ! "

This assertion from Ash created the surprise and the incomprehension of the villagers, no one understanding where the young scarf wearing man meant by that.

Ash: " The descendants of Montblanc Norland suffered during all those years from the so-called lie of their ancestors. All dedicated their whole life to prove that the golden city really existed, that Norland never lied. His current descendant, Cricket, spent his life diving into Grand Line, destroying is own health trying to find a proof of the existence of Shandora. If this bell can really be heard as far as you said, I am sure that Cricket will hear it and at least he will know that the legend of Shandora is true. It would be a way to make the last will of Calgara's true and to wash the honor of the Montblanc family. "

This explanation shocked the Shandians, including Braham, once again conscious although still laid out in one of the tents, and tears appeared in their eyes. What Wiper wanted to do was in the end going to honor the memory of Calgara, the hero of Shandora.

Chief : " I see, then this 400-year-old promise is finally going to be fulfilled. But for that, they will have to reach to Shandora. "

Ash: " And basically, that's what is going to happen. Upper Yard is actually witnessing a Battle Royale of some sort, the objective being Shandora. "

Braham: " then Wiper has to succeed. "

The Shandian warrior stood in the entrance of the tent where he had been patched up, holding onto some kind of crutch, having insisted on being a part of the conversation.

Chief : " Braham. Go back to rest, please. You are not in shape for … "

Braham : " I'm okay. I'm already better. As I said, by reviving the flame of Shandora, we can take back the land which the inhabitants of Skypiea take from us. "

Those words created waves of approvals among the other Shandians, until Ash interrupts them.

Ash: " Except that they too are victims in this story. "

The intervention of Ash made the other Shandians look at him with a dark look in their eyes, not understanding how the inhabitants of the sky islands could be victims of anything.

Braham: " What are you saying ? They have … "

Ash: " I know what they did, OK? But it was 400 years ago. Just like no one of you personally fought to protect Shandora, the current inhabitants of the sky didn't fought to take your homeland. Since Ener became 'God', he established rules and laws which force the inhabitants to do horrible things at the risk of being punished and killed. "

If the words of Ash had an impact on the Shandians, it's the more the increasingly dark expression of the citizen of the Blue Sea that took them most by surprise.

Ash: " This scumbag is not a God, but a tyrant who uses his status as a pretext to do what he wants without anyone telling him anything. (The image of a man, shooting down a young woman with white hair with a bullet in the head appeared in his mind.). I can't tolerate the existence of people like him who think they are above the other because of a status. That's why I will not leave this place as long as this guy will be there. To eliminate Ener shall mean solving all the problems which the sky islands face at the moment. "

Chief (after a short moment of reflection): " indeed, it will probably be the case. But why would you involve yourselves in business that doesn't concern you ? Wouldn't it be easier for you to leave this place while you can ? "

Ash (shrugging): " we have already offended God, so let's keep up with it. And then, as I said it, I refuse to leave a single island of this world in the hands of a monster. Besides, I have a feeling that the pirates captain won't let that guy do what he want too if he learns the truth about the history of the island, especially if he learn that he can help Cricket by ringing this bell. "

Braham: " There is something that I still don't understand. What is Ener trying to do exactly ? Does he has a plan, a goal ? "

Ash: " That's what I would like to know. Gan Fall said that he came out of nowhere 6 years ago because he desired Shandora. And while I was coming back to myself, I heard him talking to Gan Fall that he reached the end of his project and that he was going to leave Upper Yard. "

Ash was once again interrupted wildly by the Shandians, this last bit of information shaking them to their core.

Chief : " He is going to leave Upper Yard ? But then there's no need to fight. We just have to wait and we could get our homeland back without making a fuss. "

Ash : " Except that it won't be the case. " The silence fall on the crowd, their attention returning to Ash. " If he wanted Shandora, it was probably for the gold. And his project certainly involved this gold. Which means that he used it for something. "

Chief : " And what could he wanted to do ? And why with some gold ? "

Ash: " He have electric powers and gold which is an extremely conductive metal. And seeing that he talked about leaving, he certainly used this gold to build some kind of vehicle he could control using his own power. "

Braham: " Maybe, but I feel like thing aren't going to be so simple. "

Ash: " No, not at all. He doesn't seems like the kind of guy to leave just like that. He has something else planned. But I haven't the slightest idea of what it can be. "

It was the only piece of the puzzle that Ash was missing, and unfortunately, it was also the most important: the real purpose of Ener. Whatever it is, it couldn't be a good thing. Ash had a very bad presentiment, but he didn't joked about it : every time he did, it turned out badly for him and the other. But without expressing his opinion, he wasn't going to leave these people like that just in case his feelings are right : and in his case, they were right often.

Ash: " In the meantime, I think it would be best for you to leave the village. I have the feeling that whatever Ener wants to do, your village will be on his way. "

Without leaving the time for the Shandians to answer, he used his powers to jumped to the other side of the layer of clouds. Going once again through Upper Yard, he realized something.

Ash: " I should have asked them where to look to find Shandora before leaving. "

Ash (Roaring) : " OF COURSE, YOU STUPID IDIOT ! "

However, he noticed the huge bean standing up on the island, more exactly in the neighborhood of the place where the golden city were supposed to be according to the map Nami drew. Furthermore, he could see several white lines, looking like trails of clouds who ran along the huge plant.

Ash: " Or not. I think I found where to look first. "

On these words, he dashed to the Giant Jack, ready to even the score with God.

 **Here it is, one chapter down. I hope you liked it. See you !**

 **Next time : The lost city. God, Fairy Vearth and the survivors. What thunder can't touch.**


	6. Chapter 6 : The lost city

**Hello guys ! Here we are for the 6th chapter, Ash is back, ready to go to the lost city of Shandora and discover what Ener's real plan are. I hope that you'll like it. As always, you can write a review if you like dit or if you have any remark or advice, i'll keep them somewhere in my mind.**

 **Of course, i'm not the owner of One Piece, i'm just using it.**

 **Let's stop talking and do some writing. Enjoy !**

 **Chapter 6 : The lost city**

For once, Ash had no problem knowing where to go. At the same time, when your destination is a gigantic beanstalk visible for miles around and raising up in the middle of the clouds, getting lost would be a clear indication that you are developing a form of brain cancer and at an advanced level. Jumping over trees like a monkey under acids, Ash got closer to the bean with each jump until he finally arrive at destination. Settling at the foot of the immense vegetable, the mysterious explorer raised his eyes, trying to see where could be his target, but all he saw was a rather small cloud where the cloudy trails left by the skates of the various participants of the battle royale lost themselves in. Ash tilted his head to the side, perplexed.

Ash: " In the end, am I at the right place ? After all, I came here because I felt it COULD be here, but I might have made a mistake. Hm. *raise his head to the sky* If it's really here, I would like someone to send me a sign. "

And as usual, he received his answer in the second, but not like he expected it. An explosion of electrical energy crossed the clouds, going back up the bean until it reached the cloud which stood a few hundred meters above him, reducing it in smithereens. If it was not already rather surprising as it was, he quickly discovered that the destruction of the cloud had at the same time make the ruins which were standing on it fall, a shower of rubbles, among which Ash could see the green hair of Zoro, and even a huge ass snake, just falling past him before crashing even lower and judging by the noise, they had not landed on clouds, but on stone. Ash kept his eyes fixed to the gaping hole in front of him before raising his head, a bitter expression on his face.

Ash: " Well. OK. At least I have my answer. Well, all is left to do for me is going down there. And there was ruins up there ? Then it meant that the island really impaled itself on the bean when it first came to the sky. There's probably more ruins up there. Anyway, let's get going. "

And he ran, jumping into the hole, using his powers to slow down his fall and settling on a building, high above the rest to be able to look at everything without being noticed. Once in place, he identified the other 'player' of this sick game as Zoro, the huge snake that he had seen falling, but also Robin, Gan Fall, Wiper and Chopper, even if the latter being unconscious, he wasn't really counting. It's only once this list was established that he become aware of the place he was in right now.

Big stones building were set up of everywhere, some bigger than the others, with at the center of the city an ginormous building with a pyramidal structure, its roof piercing the clouds which where until now hiding this city to the outside world. The time had done a lot of damage on this place, walls being covered with moss, roots and trees. Ash, but also all those who were there with him understood that they had found what they were all looking for.

The lost golden city of Shandora.

Ash (thoughts): " But there's not a single gram of gold in sight. I knew it, he wanted Shandora for that. But no sign of the bell the Shandias talked about. It shouldn't be hard to find it, by the way. A bell which could be heard for miles around must be enormous. "

His thoughts wandered until a ' TSULALALALALALALA ' reach his ears. He shot his head to the origin of the noise and saw the huge snake, his head raised towards the sky, crying.

Ash (thoughts): " Is he… Those are tears of joy ? But then he … "

*KRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK*

All of a sudden, lightning came down on the snake which was roasted on-the-spot like a pork chop forgotten on the barbecue, which made Zoro and Wiper react almost at the same.

Wiper: " AISA! "

Ash (for himself) : " who? "

Zoro (hands on his head) : " Oh no ! Nami ! "

Nami (behind a wall) : " Eh ?! Zoro ?! Robin ?! "

Ash (for himself): " But what the hell is she doing here ? Was she not on the boat ? "

Zoro (Shark teeth): " Why are you over here ?! When did you get out ? "

Ash (for himself): "Got out from where ? How many chapter did I missed ? "

Nami: " Nevermind that. I'm okay but Luffy is still inside the snake. "

Ash (for himself) : " Ah okay, she went out of the snake … Wait, what ? "

Ash let his attention drift away from his 'partners' when he heard an explosion coming from the other side of the street. It was Wiper, who had just opened fired at Ener, the latter sitting cross-legged on a round, floating cloud above the ground.

Ener: " Wait, not so fast. The game is not over yet. "

Ash (for himself): "ah yes. The battle royale."

Ener: "It was a very funny game. You walked on the island and at the end of the 3 hours, we see who among the contestants survived. I had predicted that there would be 5 survivors and God's predictions can never be wrong. Yet there is 7 of you. It's not good."

Ash (for himself, eyes wide opened): "Shit, his mantra. I had forgotten that ! He is going to spot me. No wait, concentrate, remembers your training !"

With this, he closed his eyes, trying to do something he hadn't done in years. He concentrated all of his strengths when suddenly.

Ener: "Hum ? It would seem that there are 6 left now. It's better. But not enough."

Ash (for himself): "YES! I succeeded! Which just goes to show that I can find him all the defects of the world, he is at least a good trainer. Even if his method aren't really recommended."

Ener: "So… Who here will be eliminated ? Will you do it yourself or should I ?"

After a moment of reflection during which the targeted people made their refusal to disappear clear, and after a short moment during which they turned to Nami who believed during a seconde that they were going to sacrifice her, they turned around to face Ener, pointing their weapons, or folding an arm in the case of Robin, to the God.

Gan Fall, Wiper, Robin, Zoro: "You will !"

Ener: "… Impudence. You're going to… eliminate me ? Do you realize who you are speaking to ? An old man fighting for the prosperity of Skypiea, a warrior who wants nothing else than get his homeland back, thieves of the Blue Sea in search of gold. This world if filled with so many… troubled lambs. Even the country itself has sinned greatly !"

Gan Fall: "ENOUGH TALKING NONSENSE! Where is the holy guarding? Say to us for what you try to make."

Ener: "I simply seek to return, Gan Fall. I have a place to where I should be. On the sky island where I was born, where people say God lives. People call it 'Fairy Vearth'. And there is a limitless amount of earth. That is the ideal world I seek ! That is what I deserve ! This God's island… This puny piece of earth is nothing, yet you've fought for centuries to control it !

Hearing those words, Gan Fall and Wiper, the 2 concerned by the conflict in question, showed confused expressions although still determined.

Ener: "Not a cloud, but born of the sky. Not a bird, but lives in the sky."

Ash (for himself): "Wait a second. He is not insinuating what I think he is, isn't he ?"

Regrettably, the fears of Ash were immediately confirmed by Ener.

Ener: "This country in the sky defies all laws of nature ! Earth, men and God all have a place they belong ! I am doing what a God should do, I am sending you all to where you belong… Below the sky ! "

Gan Fall: " Don't think so highly of yourself, Ener! 'God' is nothing but a title for the leader of our country ! THE PEOPLE OF THIS WORLD DON'T NEED A 'GOD' ! "

Ener (coming down of his ball) : " … You've been worrying about your militia, haven't you ? When I became their master 6 years ago, your 650 followers worked on a project that I had entrusted to them and they finally finished it. And right now, the only people still standing on this island are unfortunately the 6 of us. "

Realizing what Ener wanted to say, Gan Fall stood there, frozen, eyes wide, lowering his weapon when he understood what happened to his militia.

Ener (Cheerful) : " When I told them my plans, they all went berserk on me. "

Gan Fall (Trembling): " They had families, on Angel Island … "

Ener: " Oh ! That's right. Their families will need burials… "

Gan Fall: " YOU FIEND ! "

Not able to hold it any more, Gan Fall threw himself on Ener, spear raised, ready to make this monster pay, but alas, Ener disappeared in a cloud of sparks, reappearing by his side, his hands of both sides of his head, which changed into electricity.

 _ **30 MILLIONS VOLT: VARI !**_

The lightning created an arc between the 2 hands which got through the head of the old knight, which was charred on the spot, falling heavily on the ground.

Ener: Gan Fall, in this world there is a God … Me. "

Ash (for himself): " OK, I saw enough of that. Bracket face is going to regret that. It would be better to intervene rather quickly. In front of a Logia as powerful as that one, they have not the slightest chance, unless I hold him while our only hope get here. "

While Ash went down from its perch, progressing while maintaining its concentration to avoid being spotted by Ener, the latter resumed his speech where he had left it.

Ener: "And now, there are 5 survivors. Now, I shall travel to Fairy Vearth, and all of you shall come with me !"

The surprise could be read on their faces, the four survivor not expecting such a revelation.

Ener: " Once we are there, I will create a new god's land. Only those chosen by me way live there ! Since they weren't able to survive such a short game, my previous followers are unfit to live in that country ! "

Robin: " What if we refuse? "

Ener (surprised) : " Refuse ? Why ? If you stay here, you will fall into the abyss with this country ! "

Robin: " True. With your powers, it is possible. However, if you destroy this country, that thing you want will also fall. No ? "

Ash (for himself): " What he is looking for ? She is talking about the golden bell, I don't see what else it could be. But why would he need this bell if he has already built what he wanted with the gold of the city ? "

Ener: " You mean the golden bell ? YAHAHAHAH! Don't worry, judging from your earlier adventures, I can only think of only one place where the bell could be. Did you think you could trick me and find it yourselves ? You underestimate me ! *point a finger towards Robin* How shallow ! I don't like shallow women. "

And with this, he struck Robin, who like Gan Fall had her head crossed by a lightning bolt, before falling backward to the ground. She was about to touch the ground when Zoro appeared suddenly by her side, catching her before she crashes on the ground, putting her down carefully on the ground, sending a dark gaze to Ener, everything happening under Ash gaze, who wrote what he had just seen in a notepad.

Ash (for himself): " Interesting character development. "

Zoro: " Bastard. She's a woman ! "

Ash (for himself): " Those are gentleman words. Especially coming from him."

Zoro attacked, not able to bear with this egoistical asshole anymore. And he was apparently not the only one because Wiper brought out his Burn Bazooka, firing at Ener, who just smiled, before his body began crackling.

 _ **KARI !**_

Like a flash bang, his body released a heat so intense that Wiper's shot was consumed and the light was so bright that it blinded the two warriors. Nami was paralyzed, understanding that this guy was far too powerful for them, but Zoro did slow down, trying to cut Ener, but his swords got through his lightning-made body, then Ener caught his 2 katanas and electrocuted Zoro using the two metallic object as conductor. While Zoro, on the ground, was stomped by Ener, Wiper jumped on the 'God', wrapping his legs around his waist and strangely, Ener couldn't change his body in lightning or call his thunder, like he had no power anymore.

Ash (for himself, still getting closer): "He has no rubber on him, that can mean only one thing. "

Wiper: " Seastone. You know what it is, right? I added some to my shooter and it's draining your devil fruit powers. "

Ener, realizing that he was in a critical position, began to stress, trying to convince Wiper not to attack.

Ener (stressing lightly): " No ! You're trying to use a Reject Dial ? Your body can't take it ! Don't you want to live and own land ?!"

Wiper: " SHUT UP ! I just want to die and I'm taking you with me ! "

Ener (stress reaching its peak) : "DON'T DO IT !"

 _ **REJECT!**_

The power of the blow was clearly visible, the body of Ener bending over the impact, sent full on his rib cage, a sheaf of blood springing from the mouth of the God, which fell on the ground, his heart having stopped beating because of the shock. While the many people around them began to assimilate the fact that the nightmare was finished, the body of Ener began convulsing, arc of lightning springing from its body, as if his powers were trying to jumpstart his heart with electric shocks, not only trying but succeeding since Ener got up shortly after, much to the horror of the pirates and Wiper, who stood his ground nevertheless before falling to his knees, spitting some blood because of the Reject Dial collateral damage.

Ener: " What have I been saying ? Just give up. You look awful, ô Wiper the warrior. "

Wiper: " My name is … NOT SOMETHING YOU MAY SO CASUALLY USE ! For I am the descendant of the great warrior who fought to the death…For their home 800 years ago… The warriors of Shandora ! Since that day…Following the dying wish of the great warrior, Calgara… For 400 hundred years… We have been searching for this place… NOW, I'M FINALLY HERE ! Out of my way, demon !"

During his monologue, Wiper had got up, covered with burns, standing face to face with Ener, the latter by no means impressed by the speech of the Shandian, waiting for him to finish before destroying his skates with one swing of his golden rod, sending Wiper to the ground.

Ener: "The same trick won't work twice, Wiper. The Seastone won't help you again. To fire a shot of a mortal man's suicidal attack, reject, and still be able to stand up is rather impressive. But you're still no match for me."

 _ **30 MILLIONS VOLTS …**_

His arm changed into electricity, which took little by little the shape of a big tiger.

 _ **KI …**_

… _**CK IN YOUR BALLS !**_

The interruption was sudden and rough. The lightning disappeared as fast as it had appeared whereas Ener's face writhed in pain, eyes white and mouth wide open. In front of him, Zoro, Wiper and Nami didn't understood what just happened when they saw a foot sticking out between Ener's legs, a clear sign that somebody had arrived just in time. When Ener bend over in pain, a hand going to settle on his bruised crotch, the surprise was total because behind Ener stood Ash, who turned on himself as if he was addressing an imaginary crowd.

Ash: " What's up ! I shoot God in the ball, so what ?! ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED ?! "

Nami: " WHERE DID YOU COME FROM ? SINCE WHEN ARE YOU THERE ? "

Ash (joining Them): " Since mister thunder decided to bring down you from the bean. And I could ask the same thing to you. You were supposed to be on the boat. "

Ener (getting up): " You ! But what are you doing here ? I was sure that we were just 5. "

Ash: " You'll have to change your predictions, dude. Also, I was fed up with you yapping about how great of a God you are when you're clearly not one. "

Ener: " On the contrary. I know everything that is taking place here, I am invincible, I have everything of a God. I am a God ! "

Ash, realizing that guy just don't listen to anything, didn't lose his patience and brought out a pair of glasses out of the bag he had with him and a dictionary, this one coming out of nowhere, the bag not big enough to fit one.

Ash: " Alright. When we talk about God, we talk about a being endowed with an infinite power, able to be present in several places simultaneously and who know all that there is to know about the human beings, the world etc. As a result, I have a very easy way to settle this shit once and for all. You just have to answer my question. "

Ener (clearly bored) : " Which is ? "

Ash: " What are your weaknesses ? "

Ener, although surprised, quickly answered.

Ener: " Well, as the owner of the powers of a devil fruit, the sea and this Seastone are my weaknesses. But here in the sky, there is nothing of this kind. Thus I have no weakness up here."

Ash: "Maybe, but the simple fact that you have weaknesses, even small, is sign that you are not a almighty, and so not a God. I've never heard about a God who could get his balls smashed by a mere mortal."

Ener (more and more annoyed) : " Just knows that if you are still alive, it's because I just want to know how you were able to escape my mantra ?"

Ash: " Because your mantra is not something we found only in the sky islands. It also exists on the Blue Sea. And I know some ways to counter him. And I am surprised that you aren't asking how I could have hit you ? Here's a clue : I have no Seastone on me."

It's on those words that Ener, Wiper and the pirates really paid attention to what Ash was wearing, which was the same outfit as before, except for his shins and forearms which were wrapped in some kind of fabric, boots on his feet and gloves on his hands and more exactly …

Nami: "Hey. Those are the gloves Sanji uses to wash the dishes."

Ash: " Yeah. And it's with those thing that I'm going to clobber dunderhead over there."

Ener didn't believe it at all, also he didn't try to dodge when Ash threw himself on him. That was a mistake. As he promised, thanks to his gloves, Ener weren't able to change into electricity.

 _ **SHOCK STRAIGHT !**_

With a right hand jab, he struck brackets face straight on his face, the power of the impact multiplied tenfold by the strength of the shock wave which Ener took quite hard, thrown way behind, landing on his legs nevertheless.

Ash: "Simple gloves and simple boots to strike 'God'. You are supposed to be, by definition, the holder of an infinite power. If things as simple as those manage to counter you, it is because you are not a God, just a Logia which considers himself invincible because it can change into lightning. But guy like you don't survive down there on Grand Line, especially in the New World. And it is because you see yourself as a God that I can't deal with you and your shit anymore. *his face darkened* You are nothing else than a tyrant who kills and oppresses the citizens, using a status, status you didn't got legally should I add, to justify your acts and make them seems normal. You are exactly the kind of asshole I cannot stand."

Ener: "Those are very big word for an insect. Certainly, you have what is needed to reach me, but you remain lower than the divine power. You will need to do a lot of effort just to graze me, as for me, a single lightning bolt and you are finished."

Ash then showed a carnivorous and provocative smile, clearly not to impress by the thunder man in front of him.

Ash: "I have already survived one of your bolt, remember ? But I imagine that memory is not your main quality."

Ener: "I may have underestimated you, but it will not happen again."

And in a flash of lightning, he disappeared, reappearing behind Ash in a cloud of sparks, an electric hand pointing towards Ash. Except that the latter, using his exceptional reflexes boosted by his powers to allow him to suddenly avoided the discharge, throwing his foot to Ener's stomach, who disappeared again to reappear a little farther.

 _ **30 MILLIONS VOLT : KITEN !**_

Ener used the same technique as the one he planned to use on Wiper before being interrupted by Ash, meaning the invocation of a big animal made of lightning, similar to a tiger, which threw itself on Ash, but the latter did nothing to escape, just standing there, stretching his right arm to the side.

 _ **WAVE SWEEPER !**_

Sweeping the air in front of him with his right arm, he used his powers to throw a shock wave on the electric animal which was dissipated, even if some sparks continued their roads, touching Ash who felt his skin prickle him slightly. But he took advantage of it nevertheless, since Ener was shocked to see his attack being swept like that, to throw himself on 'God', propelled by his shock waves.

 _ **SHOCK DROP KICK !**_

Ash jumped, send like a missile by shock waves produced on his shoulders to strike Ener, his two feet pointed toward him, the blond evading it with no problem at all, Ash continuing until he reached the pyramidal building which pierced the clouds, the power of the impact destroying a whole piece of the structure whereas Ener arrived on him, the two exchanging with renewed vigor. During this exchange, Wiper, Nami and Zoro looked at the fight, impressed by what Ash was doing, but in the case of the pirates hunter and the thief, the admiration was strongly counterbalanced by a deep distrust.

Zoro (thoughts) : "This guy is good, there's no doubts about it. Too good in fact. What is this New World he is talking about ? And then he seems to have fought a lot, and not against weak opponents, with more of those Logia among them. I feel that if Ash asked for it, Luffy would have no problem in accepting him on board. I'm still not okay with Robin since we know almost nothing about her, but that guy is even worse. I should rather keep my eyes open. He's too strange."

Nami (thoughts) : "This guy came out of nowhere, steal our stuff, spend his time making lousy remarks, but in addition to that, he is a great fighter who seems to know a lot of thing about this world and how it works. He told us the truth the other time and the problem, it's that he his still hiding things and might have lied about what he told us. As long as I'm alive, this guy will not join the crew. I'll do everything for that, and Luffy should know better than go against me if he know what's good for him."

Ash: "AAAAHHHHHH!"

During their monologues, the fight had kept on but this cry made them realize that Ash had without a doubt reached his limit. By looking at it closely, Ash was on his knees, his gloves and boots completely destroyed and a profound cut on his left side which he kept as closed as he could with his left hand, the right one busy holding him in position, on the ground. But the question was : how Ener was able to cut him without any sharp weapons on him ?

Ener: " You understand now ? You didn't have any chance against me."

(Smiling) Ash: "I already knew that, brackets face."

This revelation surprised the present people, who did not expect a revelation of this kind.

Ash: " But you allowed me to confirm that you are far from being invincible. And your nemesis will soon be there. So enjoy that while you can, because your time is counted. "

Ener (Impassive) : " … You gave up your right to live when you opposed me. Have you nothing else to say to try to save your miserable life ? "

Ash (shaking his head saying no) : " … Yolo. "

A silence. Tiredness painted on everyones faces. No one knew if this guy had lost it or if it was a serious nth provocation. Ener didn't move, breaking the silence by banging he drums on his back.

 _ **30 MILLIONS VOLTS: HINO !**_

A bird of lightning appears from the drum and rushed at Ash, getting through the scarf wearing guy, cry in pain feeling the millions of volts getting through him, before making him collapse on the ground, unconscious.

Ener: " What a naïve imbecile. Well, where was I ? "

 _ **EL THOR !**_

Ener got back where he actually was before being interrupted at first, but changed his program and called upon a gigantic column of lightning which came crashing down on Wiper, which hadn't move, captivated by what had taken place between Ener and Ash and he was thus floored by Ener, who turned his attention on Zoro who, brought out of his torpor, swords drawn out, threw himself on him.

 _ **50 MILLIONS VOLTS: KITEN !**_

In the same way as Wiper, Zoro was wrapped by an electric animal, a tiger to be more precise, and floored, leaving just Nami, face to face with the man of lightning, petrified by what she had just witnessed. At the moment, her mind was busy trying to find an answer to a single question : " What am I going to do ? "

 **And there, 6 down. There should be 2-3 chapter's left. I think it a little short, but I'll do what I can to make the sequel longer, even if it means more delay between the chapter, moreover if I work on other fic at the same time. I hope you liked it. See you soon for the next chapter. Bye !**

 **Next time : The hero out of the beast. God's Arc. Immune to the threat.**


	7. Chapter 7 : Thunder's ark

**Hi, everybody ! That summer heat is going to kill me but it's not what is going to prevent me from writing. Thus we go immediately back on the continuation of the adventures of our pirates friends on the sky islands !**

 **Do I need to call to remind it ? I am going to do it just in case: I'm not the owner of One Piece and its universe.**

 **I wish you all have a good time reading !**

 **Chapter 7: The godly ark**

The ruins of Shandora were plunged into a total silence, not a noise came to disturb the peace of this place. It was so quiet that nobody would have been able to imagine that only a few seconds ago that such a thing could be possible, considering the violence of the battles which took places between the God Ener and the survivors of the battle royale, to whom an scarf wearing intruder had been added. Zoro, Robin, Gan Fall, Wiper, Ash and Chopper were all unconscious, completely carbonized, some of them as black as charcoal, struck by Ener with the exception of Chopper, which had already been out of service when he arrived in Shandora, and Nami.

The navigator was paralyzed, sitting on the floor, still shocked (no pun intended) by the literal slaughter she had witnessed, seeing her companions falling one after the other. She was now alone before the one who called himself 'God', trying to find a way to get out of there when she finally made her mind, choosing the only option she had who would allow her to survive.

Nami: " I … Uh … please… take… me… ! " She began while raising her hand. " Please take me with you to… the dream world ! Please ? "

A feeling of uneasiness was growing in her voice when she saw how Ener was looking at her with half closed eyes, not looking convinced until he suddenly began laughing, turning his heels away from her.

Ener: " YAHAHAHAHAHA. Alright, come with me. Good for you. " His eyes settled on the Waver Nami was pushing next to her. " Eh ? Do you really have to take that with you ? "

Nami, sweating and shaking : " Well … If I can't, it's no big deal, but… "

Ener: " You won't be needing that thing at where we're going, but… Whatever. Do as you wish. "

Nami: " I… I'm most grateful. "

And after those words were spoken, they left the place, Nami following Ener, leaving behind them the dead bodies of the losers.

Ash: " Agh. Motherfucker, that hurts. "

Or not. Ash was getting up, not even unconscious to begin with.

Ash (sitting down): " Sometimes, I wish I wasn't that sturdy only so I wouldn't have to suffer that much. On the other hand, the lightning of this dude is nothing compared to 'him'. "

By the end of his sentence, sitting on the ground, he put a hand to his neck through his scarf, frowning, remembering himself of one of the most painful moment of his life while thinking about Nami and what she did.

Ash: " I imagine that watching all these people that she considers as more powerful than her fall one after the other put her in a tight spot, she conclude that she could do nothing by herself and decided to play Ener's game to save her life. A classic case of survival instinct, but judging by the way her voice sounded, it would seem that it's not the first time when she 'betrays somebody' for her own interests. But doesn't she trust Luffy ? She should know that he is our best hope if we want to beat this guy. It's not that hard to understand this. "

He then let his eyes roaming on the ruins, finally stopping on the impressive snake which was spread over one of the buildings when the latter opened his eyes, revealing black slit pupils, rather strange eyes for a snake, which made Ash raise an eyebrow. Shrug which changed into an full widening when he saw the eyes of the reptile puffing out before coming back to their first position, as if they had been punch from the inside. The eyes closed then opened again some seconds later, with the same pupils, until one of them, the right pupils, left his side to go have a little talk with her sister in the other eye, which found itself having 2 pupils instead of one. Moreover, the right one seemed to be smaller than the other, with small wings while the other had some kind of hat. Ash was looking at the scene with wide eyes.

Ash, his face twisted by incomprehension, rubbing his eyes: "What the fuck is that shit ? What did I smoke ? Shrooms ?"

The left eye closed and after a short moment, the snake, still woozy, opened his mouth and from the said mouth fell 3 silhouettes, the 2 that Ash had seen in the eyes of the snake and a third one which seemed to be a some kind of bird. Ash then recognized 2 of the 3, one being Luffy and another being Pierre, Gan Fall's bird. He didn't know the little girl who was with them, but by remembering about the shout Wiper did after Ener struck the snake with his lightning, he was able to deduce from it that it was the one he called Aisa.

Ash: "But how did they end up in there Did they played Snake and it had gone wrong or what ?"

Aisa: "Finally, we are out of the snake. But where are we ?"

Luffy, standing up the top of the pyramid-like building : "Wow, that's a big hole."

While looking at the hole, he saw his friends, all laying on the floor not far from the said hole. He jumped off the building to land not far away from the hole and rush to his friends to try to wake them up.

Luffy: "Zoro ! Oi!I! What happened to you ? How did you get like this. And Nami? She isn't there ?"

Aisa: "WIPER ! WIPER !"

The cries from Aisa drew the attention of the straw-hat wearing pirate which went towards the hole finding Aisa inside, on her knees next to Wiper.

Luffy: "Isn't that the bazooka guy ? Even a strong guy like him. Who the heck did all this ?"

Ash: "What do you think, moron. Ener did that ?"

Luffy: "Ash ! Are you okay ? Ener, it's the 'God', isn't it ? What does he want ? And where is Nami ?"

Ash: "Could you please let me answer the question before asking others, thank you. So, one, I am fine, but I've been better. Two, Yes. Three, I don't remember. And four, she followed Ener."

Luffy: "What, but why would she do that ? I am sure that she has a good reason."

Ash: " To save her life, I suppose. Our instinct often tends to make us follow those that we consider as more powerful than us. "

Ash was interrupted by a light groan, a sign that somebody was waking up and by turning their head, the three of them saw that, indeed, Robin was waking up, still suffering a lot from her wounds.

Luffy: " Robin ! Stay with us. What is it ? "

Robin: " This country … This island in the sky … All of Skypiea is going to be destroyed. "

Aisa: " Everything ? My village, too ? "

Robin: " Absolutely everything. "

Ash, slamming his fist in his palm: " Ah. That's what I had forgotten. "

Aisa (shark teeth): " HOW WE CAN FORGET SUCH A THING ?! "

Robin: " Ener will go to where the golden bell is. But we won't find it in time. "

Aisa: " Yes we can. "

Ash : "Is that you, Obama ?"

The two pirate and the young girl looked at Ash with pursed lips and squinted eyes, as if to say "What the hell are you saying, dude ?" before getting back on to what Aisa was saying.

Aisa : " I hear 2 other voices on this island. "

Ash, opening wide eyes, thinking : " She can hear them ? But how can she have this kind of power while being so young ? "

Luffy: " Aisa, take me there ! "

Ash: " Wait. I'm coming with you. I can still be useful. "

Luffy: " OK, let's go "

And on these words, Luffy and Ash, guided by Aisa, accompanied by Pierre who was of carrying the girl, rushed through the ruins, trying to catch up with Ener and Nami. After several minutes of race, they reach their destinations: the entrance of some kind of cave.

Ash: " Are you sure that they are inside, Aisa ? "

Aisa: " Yes. 100% sure. "

Luffy: " Yosh. Let's go ! "

They rushed inside the cave and after a few minutes they fell on a heart stopping show. They ended in a gigantic cave in the center of which stood some kind of wooden boat equipped with fan-like propellers of different sizes, with an enormous face made of gold on the boat. Scaffolds were still build around the boat.

Ash: " So this is it. The project on which he made the members of the holy guard work for 6 years. Some kind of vehicle, as I suspected it. "

However, they didn't had the time to be amazed by the construction because up on the railing was Ener, looking at them, looking annoyed.

Ener: " I'm not very pleased right now. How can there be a mistake in my prediction !? "

Luffy: " YOU! ! ARE YOU ENER ?! "

Luffy didn't his answer, but on the other hand his voice had reached the ears of Nami, who was aboard the ark, the navigator throwing herself towards the edge of the ship to confirm that she didn't dreamed of that voice.

Nami, tearful: " LUFFY ! "

Ash, pokerfaced : " So that's how it feels to be ignored ? "

Luffy, to Ener: " What did you do to my friends ? "

Ener: " Isn't this that other piece of trash !? "

Ash: " This piece of trash, as you say, dumbass, is the nemesis I talked about before. I am sure that you remember it. "

Ener: " Don't make me laugh. As if this pitiful scrawny guy could overcome me. I am a God. "

Luffy: Yeah right ! You don't look like God !"

Ash, in a black suit, a mustache suddenly appearing on his face and a gun in his hand : " But he does look like a bitch, motherfucker. "

Luffy, looking at him : "The fuck ?"

Ash, talking of the mustache : "What ? Never seen Pulp Fiction ?"

Luffy : "What is that ? Is it a meat dish ?"

Ash, back to normal : "Nevermind."

Nami: " Luffy! Be careful … "

Nami was forced to cut off her sentence right in the middle of it because the way Ener suddenly looked at her made her uneasy and afraid for her life, but the blond just laugh it off. Although Ash was stuck on another detail.

Ash, pokerfaced: " And I still feel like I'm invisible. I'm right in front of everyone, right Luffy? Prove me that I'm right. "

Ener: " YAHAHAHA. I hear the cheers of the angels ! The citizen seem to know about the fate of Skypiea. I wonder where are they running to. "

Luffy: " I said, you don't look like God, stupid ! "

Ash, turning to the sky : " Please. I want to be noticed by someone. "

Without waiting for Ash to finish his lamentations, Luffy rushed to the ark, stretching his arms to go on board. Ash shook off his feelings and jumped up to the boat, landing near Nami.

Nami: " Ash ? But what are you doing here ? "

Ash, outraged, shark teeth: " YOU'RE KIDDING ME ? IT'S JUST NOW THAT YOU NOTICE THAT I AM THERE ?! "

Ener, to Luffy after seeing him stretching: " I see … So you are not a simple mortal after all. However... A mere Paramecia has no chance against me. " He proved his point by electrifying his hand. " Either way makes no difference to me… because... I am God ! "

 _ **EL THOR !**_

Ener then unleashed the power of his lightning on Luffy, the attack engulfing the pirate completely, who disappeared in the middle of lightning flashes, the latter crossing the cave until it dig a large hole in the wall in the back of the cave. It made Nami and Aisa shriek in fear for the captain, Pierre crying of fear too, Ash looking at the scene idle, a small smile on his lips, which became more marked when the lightning dissipated, revealing Luffy, not a single scratch on his body, except for his lightly burned clothes, the pirate biting his lips, hands on his hips, looking like he didn't realized he had been struck by lightning

Ener: " You are better than I thought… "

Nami: " How did he dodge that ? "

Ash: " He didn't dodge. He was struck dead on. "

 _ **60 MILLONS VOLTS …**_

Nami: " What ? But it's impossible ! "

Ash, disappointed: " Nami, I thought you were one of the brains of your crew. Make that brain work. What did I used to strike Ener, in the ruins ? "

… _**JAMBURU !**_

Ener had kept on with his offensive on Luffy, sending a dragon made by lightning at Luffy, but the result was the same as before : Luffy stood there, unscathed.

Nami : " You used gloves, but I don't see the point of … "

Ash, sighing: " What kind of gloves, stupid ? "

Nami: " RUBBER GLOVES ! NOW, STOP THAT, YOU…. ". realization struck her like a pile of brick suddenly falling on her head, eyes opening wide by turning her head to Ener and Luffy, the so-called God putting one of his hands on the pirate.

 _ **100 MILLIONS VOLTS : VARI !**_

Nami: " No. You mean that…? "

Ash: " Yeah, it is. Rubber is an insulating material. And since Luffy is made of it, it means that… "

Luffy: " STOP IT ! You're annoying ! "

Luffy finally exploded, throwing Ener far off.

Ash: " … Luffy is immune to his thunder. "

For the first time, Ener's facial expression had nothing godlike, stating his surprise in the face of this discovery which made him lose his cool. Seeing Luffy throwing himself on him, he tried to get his mind out of his shock, reminding himself that he cannot be touch by that kind of attack, but when the kick struck him hard on his stomach, sending him lying on the deck of his ark, he understood what Nami had just learnt and what Ash said when he was facing him before.

Luffy, made of rubber, was his only natural enemy. The only one who could beat him.

Nami: "But that's awesome ! It's going to be a cakewalk !"

Ash: "Tch, you won't go far on Grand Line if you keep thinking like that. This fight is not going to easy just because Luffy is immune to thunder."

Indeed, although Luffy had the elementary advantage, Ener still had the mantra, which allowed him to dodge the blows of the pirate without any problem. Against this ability, Luffy had a hard time fighting, none of his blows reaching its target. Ener's strike on the other hand hit bull's eye and quickly, Luffy received several blows from his staff before ending stuck against the golden face, held in place by Ener, who pressed his staff against his throat. A position Luffy got out of quite easily since his body was also giving him a great immunity to blunt attack, but Ener had another trick up his sleeve.

 _ **GLOAM PADDLING !**_

Under the dumbfounded gaze of Nami and Luffy, Ener used his lightning to melt and remodel his staff into a trident, Ash clenching his teeth by looking at the new weapon, rubbing the gash he had on his side.

Nami: "Wait a second. It's what he used to cut you in the ruins, right ?"

Ash: "Yeah. It looks like he just found the weakness of an elastic man: blades."

Nami, shark teeth: " DON'T SAY IT, YOU MORON ! "

Luffy dodged the first blow, ending on the top of the golden sculpture which decorated the ark. He jumped towards Ener but the latter disappeared to re-appear behind him in an instant.

Nami: " Luffy ! Behind you! "

Ash: " He used the golden mask as a medium to approach. "

Luffy turned just in time to see Ener surging from the mask, his trident pointing toward him and throwing himself on him. From the deck, for a moment the silhouettes made Nami and Ash think that Luffy had been skewered, but in fact, Luffy had caught the trident, burning his hands at the same time, but this time, he had an opening to strike which Ener didn't notice.

Ener: " AHAHAH! My lightning cannot hurt you, but the heat it produces can. "

What the God ignored was that Luffy had just stretched his leg high up behind Ener, who understood too late what was happening.

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO AXE !**_

Luffy's foot came down violently on the back of Ener which unable to dodge the attack and found himself getting crushed against the ark, but he got up fast while Luffy, still airborne, prepared a new attack.

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO GATLING !**_

What seemed to be a shower of punches fell on Ener, who was not impressed at all by that, using his mantra to catch both rubber arms before throwing their owner on the ground.

Nami and Ash: " Luffy ! "

Ener: " You have picked a bad time to tour the sky island, pirates of the Blue Sea. I am God ! I can predict the future. Not to mention your punches ! After all, my will alone created this world. Everything I say happen, no matter what."

Ash: " So if you decide to shut the fuck up, you'll stop saying bullshit ? "

Ener, a vein twitching on his forehead: " Speak all you want, insect, but you are all foolish to try to stand up against me with such weak power. And you won't interfere with my plan. "

During his small monologue, Ener had reached what seemed to be two golden balls standing just in front of the golden throne at the foot of the golden sculpture and put his hands on them, activating at the same time his electric powers. The electricity ran through the metal, making his way all over the ark, the propellers activating all at the same time, the wooden and golden vessel taking off little by little.

Ener: " Look … It's floating ! The ark that will take me to the endless earth... The ark Maxim ! "

Ash, thought : " Now that I think about it, it's probably more than an ark. As powerful as a Logia is, they can't, for what I know, destroy whole islands. This ark have to also be used to multiply tenfold his powers, enough to allow him such a feat. Ener is not the only one to be beat, this ark also has to be destroyed ! "

By his side, Nami was on her knees, hands on her face, shaking like a leaf, completely panicking about what was happening right now.

Nami, thought : " This is bad ! We have to escape ! Hurry up, Luffy. Beat that guy ! No, wait ! What if the ship falls from the sky when Ener is defeated ? No. If we don't stop Ener, the sky island will be gone for good ! What should I do…!? " *raising her voice* " What should we do, Luffy ?! We… "

She didn't finished her sentence, Luffy stopping her by putting his straw hat on her head, a gesture which slightly surprised Ash, but less than Nami who opened wide eyes.

Luffy, without looking away: " Quit yapping ! "

Nami: " But… "

Luffy: " You're the future pirate king's friend, so stop being such a worrier ! "

These words made Ash smirk. This guy was definitively not like the other pirate.

Ener: " Pirate king ? What country does he rule ? "

Luffy: " He is the king of the seas ! "

Ener: " That doesn't sound half bad… Let's finish this in the sky. "

The arc had just broke the stone roof of the cave, beginning to appear on the surface of Upper Yard, although still stuck in the stone he was trying to cross. But it didn't seem to be a problem for Ener. Because although motionless, the ark let escape from its chimney what looked like black clouds.

Nami: " Are those thunder clouds ? "

Ener: " Exactly. Using my energy, Deathpiea cn produce clouds that contain strong electrical current running through it. Those clouds are going to cover the sky and emit thunder ten times as stronger than my attacks. This country is going to be completely eradicated ! Allow me to demonstrate. "

To punctuate his example, Ener threw his arm towards the cloudy mass over the ark and when the spark finally reached the clouds, a flash of lightning appears from the cloud and head to strike a building on Lovely Street, amplifying the panic of the inhabitants already evacuating thanks to the warnings of Conis.

Ash, gritting his teeth : " So you plan to destroy the sky islands like that ? With thunder storms ? "

Ener: " Indeed, but now … The party is about to start ! "

Without leaving the time for his 'guests' to react, Ener attacked, focusing on Luffy whereas Ash went away from the fight, taking Nami and Waver with him, whereas Luffy and Ener exchanged blows, Luffy having a hard time against the metal heated by the lightning and Ener's mantra.

Luffy: " Damn. He can predict all my movements… Ah ! "

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO BOH !**_

Nami and Ash, expecting a powerful technique, were more than disappointed in the light of what Luffy did. He was standing without doing anything, his face expressing a total absence of thinking, as if he had put his brain on a break.

Ash: " But what is that dumbass doing ? "

What seemed to be a stupid technique showed on the other hand to be more useful than they thought when Ener attacked again, Luffy dodging the blows with no problem at all.

Ash: "He basically relax all his body and shutdown his brain and just uses his instinct to dodge. That way, Ener can't read his movements." He explained to Nami, who was perplexed about the usefulness of this kind of techniques. "It's a useful technique, but she have a big inconvenient."

Luffy, recovering: "Damn… Because I turned into a dumbass… I couldn't attack."

Nami: "You idiot ! I was going to praise you, too !"

And by wondering how to prevent the lightning man from beating, Luffy once again had an idea.

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO TAKO !**_

Once again, Luffy let his body go limp, but only his arms and legs this time, his brain working normally.

Nami, in tears and irritated: " Stop using those stupid attack !"

Ash didn't know what to think of that, until Luffy jumped towards the golden statue of the ark, his body becoming some kind of tangled mess, the spectators unable to know where the members begin and finished.

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO TAKO HANABI !**_

In the same way as for Gomu Gomu no Gatling, Luffy rocked his fists, but also his feet in every direction, striking all over the big golden statue, his fists and the feet bouncing on its surface, all redirected like a blunderbuss towards Ener, who tried one more time to use his mantra. But alas for him, the blows reached him this time, sending him backward.

Nami: " What! But how di he do that ?"

Ash: "The rebounds ! He has no control over the way his blows bounce on the ark and thus Ener can't use his mantra to stop or dodge them !"

Taking advantage of the fact that Ener is on the floor, Luffy run towards him, arms stretch backward.

Luffy: " You can't get away now !"

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO BAZOOKA !**_

Both Luffy's palms sank into Ener's stomach, bringing down to his knees, folded in two by the pain, whereas Luffy on his side prepared a new attack, pulling an arm backwards, tightening his fist, his arm twisted up on itself.

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO RIFLE!**_

The fist struck its target with strength, the body of Ener being thrown behind up to the statue by spinning on himself like a top, crashing violently into the metallic surface. In spite of the fact that Ener seemed knocked out, the boat didn't stop at all, the thunderstorms clouds still coming out of the arc, the propellers still working. It meant that Ener was far from being beaten, as he proved it by getting up with difficulty.

Ener: " … Damn you … So…close… I was… *cough* My plans would have worked flawlessly if it wasn't for you… ! Everyone would fear me… worship me ! A punk like you is no match for me ! It's impossible ! I am the almighty God ! The almighty God !"

As his speech kept going, his voice had raised in intensity while the ark was finally freeing itself from the stone that held it prisoner on the ground and began to rise above ground level, the thunder clouds covering more and more of the sky.

Ener: " Look carefully, rubber man … This island is doomed… Nothing can save it now … ! "

Luffy: " Shut up ! "

While Luffy began rushing et Ener, Ash looked at the drums wearing man and what he saw in his eyes meant nothing good for the pirate captain.

Ash: " Luffy, stop ! Get away from him ! "

But alas, it was already too late for him. As Luffy came close to him, Ener put his hands on the metallic surface of the golden mask, which began to undulate, like Ener's staff a little earlier.

 _ **GLOAM PADDLING !**_

Without leaving Luffy the time to understand what was happening, Ener gathered the melted metal around Luffy's stretched arm and locked the latter in an enormous ball made of gold, the rubber man crying with pain by feeling the burning metal against his skin while trying to take his arm out of it, but without succeeding.

Ash and Nami : " LUFFY ! "

Ener: " And now, it's time for me to end this useless fight. Farewell. You can keep the gold as a souvenir. "

With a sudden kick, Ener sent the ball overboard and Luffy, whose arm had reached his maximum length, found himself stuck to the railing because of the weight of the gold which pulled him downwards. But Ener swept his legs of the ground, which send him down, quickly followed by Aisa and Pierre, who had followed them up to there.

Ener, seeing Aisa and the winged horse : " Are they the owners of the voices I am hearing ? "

His hand changed into electricity, ready to strike the girl and her flying companion when he was violently interrupted.

 _ **WAVE KNOCKBACK !**_

A sudden strength struck the electric body of Ener, which was blown like a candle before re-forming, turning his head to Ash, his two hands stretched towards him, Nami standing against the rail, staring into the void where Luffy had just fallen, shared between her fear for what happened to Luffy and her hatred toward this egocentric asshole who was the source of all their problems.

Ash: " You have already made enough victim, brackets face. "

Ener: " You are tough, for an insect. But without your equipment, you can do nothing against me, thus I am going to let live for now, hoping that you have a change of mind and joins me in my quest for Fairy Vearth. "

Ash: " In your dreams, bitch. I have already said it, I'd rather kill myself that let a bastard like you do what he wants. "

Ener: " In this case, you will die at the same time as these islands when the time will come. " He then turned his head to Nami. " As for you, after surviving such events… Don't you have high hopes for the futures ? "

Nami, replacing Luffy's hat on her head: " Hopes for the future ? Yes. However, getting there with you… is not much different from being alone…! " Ash looked at her from the corner of his eye, analyzing her words. " What good is the treasure if I am alone ? After sharing so much of our dreams… instead of sacrificing them and leave with you… I would rather have nothing at all ! "

Ash grinned, his opinion about the red haired navigator changing radically. She had just spoken with her heart, her voice even wavering and she had proved to him that she was not only the stingy bossy witch he though she was. Furthermore, he was now sure that this attitude of her was due to something which had happened to her long ago, if the feeling her shaky voice were carrying were any indication. Ener, from his side, was by no means impressed by those words, he seemed even rather amused.

Ener: " You really do not value your life, do you ? "

With this, he threw a lightning bolt in her direction but, much to everyone surprise, the bolt suddenly deviated from its trajectory to go strike a metal pole, now completely destroyed, standing next to Ash.

Ener: "What is that ? "

Ash: " A lightning conductor of some sort, but it's not going to be very useful, from now on. "

Nami: " But where does that thing came from, seriously ? You don't any bag. Well, it doesn't matter, protect me, since you can. "

Ash: "No".

Nami almost collapsed facing this unequivocal refusal.

Nami: " What do you mean by no ? "

Ash: " Aren't you capable of fighting and protecting by yourself ? You choose to join a pirates crew and aren't ready to put your life on the line ? That you would survive only by being protected by the others ? You may be all close to each other, there are moments when you will have to find a way alone. You can handle more or less everything that happen aboard the boat, but in a fight, it's not by being dependent on the others that you are going to be really useful to the crew. "

Nami said nothing more. She was shocked, not only because these words had hurt her, but because she had to admit that he was right. And she had a chance to prove her worth when another bolt of lightning approached her. By reflex, she grabbed one of the pieces of her Climact Tact.

 _ **THUNDER BALL !**_

Using her electric bubbles, she created some kind of path and when the bolt of lightning came in touch with it, the latter followed the path away from Nami.

Ash: "See, you can fight against him."

Nami: "Yeah, but it won't be enough."

Ash: "Indeed, we should get Luffy back, he is the only one who can beat him, but not before stopping this nightmare of an ark."

 _ **KAYAKU BOSHI !**_

Suddenly, an explosion was heard, Ener hand having been struck by an explosive pellet which interrupted him. All turned their head to the door situated on the right of the statue and in front of it stood Ussop, his hands in front of his head.

Ussop: "S… sorry."

Nami: "USSOP !?"

Ussop: "Heh ? Where's Sanji ? He's not here ?"

The sniper eyes met Ener, his gaze darkening.

Ussop: "In that case …"

One second passed, and Ussop left, closing the door behind him, Nami shouting after him.

Nami : "GET BACK HERE !"

Then the door reopened suddenly, revealing a more self-confident Ussop

Ussop: "Let's get it on, God !"

*BAM* A thunder bolt struck Ussop at his feet, the long-nosed man diving to the side to avoid it, running to reach Nami and Ash, the latter following him with his eyes without moving, arms crossed since his last intervention.

Ussop: "Nami !"

Nami, hopeful : " What ? Do you have a plan ? "

Ussop: " Save me. "

Nami, hitting him: " DAMN YOU ! You are supposed to be the one saving me ! "

Ash : "*cough*"

Nami, looking at him then hanging her head : "Or I could fight by myself, isn't it ?"

Ash : "Yes."

Ussop, laughing nervously his hand in front of his face: " Well, what can we do against God ? Not much, isn't it ? "

Nami, in the same position: " That's true. Hahaha. "

*BAM* the same thunder clapped at their feet, the two diving to dodge it, Ash shaking his head in disbelief.

Ash: "*to himself* How did they survive until there, seriously ? *raising his voice* I think the best thing for us to do is to fetch Luffy. He is the only one who have a chance against him. "

Ussop and Nami looked at each other, before looking and turning their attention back to Ash.

Nami and Ussop: " Good idea ! "

And they parted, each on their own side, Ash trying to do a diversion while Ussop and Nami returned to the Waver. To grab Ener's attention, Ash used its powers to move constantly, using shock waves to blow the lightning bolt thrown by Ener, sometimes standing between the God and the pirates to protect them. He might have said that they had to fight for themselves, against that guy it would be suicidal. But Ash was floored quickly and Ener then refocused on the sniper and the navigator, the latter starting up the Waver.

 _ **EL …**_

Just as everything seemed lost for both pirates, a fourth ally appears from out of nowhere and send away Nami and Ussop at once with a kick, taking their place in front of God.

Ussop and Nami: " Sanji ?! "

Ash: " The cook ? "

… _**THOR !**_

The blond wasn't able, and did nothing, to avoid the attack while Nami and Ussop fell of the boat. But the cook, much to Ash surprise, didn't collapse immediately, still standing in front of Ener.

Sanji: " Hey … Don't just… Stand there talking trash… " he took a hold of his charred cigarette end he still had in his mouth. " I was going to borrow your light, but… Where the hell were you aiming…!? "

Ash: " Is it only allowed to be as badass as that ? "

Ener: " So… ? "

Sanji: " Ah… Is that… the face of utter defeat I see in your future ?"

While he was collapsing, Sanji had buried a seed of doubt in Ash's mind who got an answer about it when the ark suddenly stopped creating thunder clouds, much to the shock of a dumbfounded Ener.

Ener: " What was that ? The ship ? Can it be you ? Damn you…! "

Ash, sensing that Ener was about to change the cooking of the cook from medium rare to well done, took off sharply, grabbing the cook, before throwing himself of the boat, following Ussop and Nami, his mind already set on his final goal : bringing down this bastard.

 **Wow ! My longest chapter until now ! Wasn't supposed to be this long, but I was inspired and I hope you'll like it. Don't forget to review if you liked it and if you have advice or anything else useful for the fic. See you next time !**

 **Next time : Doomsday, part 2 ! Climbing and bringing down the Giant jack. Relight the light of Shandora !**


	8. Chapter 8 : Shandora's flame

**Hello ! We began this new week with victory in the air. WE ARE WORLD CHAMPION ! (I'm French, that's why). Either way, no matter where you're from, if your country played in this world cup, I would like to congratulate them all, with a special mention to Croatia for their amazing first final ever. But we aren't here to talk about football, but to tell the new episode of the adventures of our favorite pirates on the sky islands. So let's go !**

 **I don't own One Piece.**

 **Chapter 8: Shandora's flame**

\- " AAAAAHHHHH! NOOO ! I DON'T WANT TO DIE ! AAAAAAHHHHH ! "

Ussop's cries echoed during his fall, all the way to Ash's ears, who was a good dozen of meters above him, the 2 characters free-falling after they jumped off the Maxim ark, Ussop having jumped at the same moment as Nami and Ash having taken a little more time just to pick Sanji up, the cook having been struck once again by Ener by wanting to protect his friends (or just Nami, it depends on who you are asking to).

When Ussop's cries stopped abruptly, Ash understood that his fall was coming to an end and indeed, a few seconds later, he reached the cloudy ground, not without placing himself to protect Sanji from the impact which remained rather violent, the cook unable to protect himself from his own fall. When he got up after shaking off the impact, he saw Nami running towards them, pulling her Waver next to her and Ussop, head stuck inside the ground up to his shoulders, some kind of spring on his shoes.

\- " USSOP ! SANJI ! " Shouted the navigator by approaching the 3 other survivors, Ash suddenly pulling a face.

\- "This voice… Nami ! I'm glad that you are all right." Answered Ussop, still half-buried in the clouds.

\- " Could you at least pretend that I exist ? "

But once again, the red-hair ignored the white (A.N: he has white hair, remember) and fell on her knees next to the blond.

\- " Sanji, are you alright ? "

\- "Really ? You're asking him if he's alright ? But as you can see, he is in top shape, with his body burned out like an overcooked steak." joked Ash, trying to get Ussop out of the cloud he was stuck in, getting a reaction out of Nami, more exactly a dark look. "But I have to admit that I rarely saw something more badass than what he did up there."

\- "Yeah ! Sanji, what a man. You better not die here, you hear me ?!"

\- "Anyway, we better get out of here." Commanded Nami. "We should go find the others and leave those island as soon as possible." She ended getting on her Waver. "On this sky island, there is no longer a place that is safe."

\- "Yeah, you're right. We better leave and quick. Let's go." Chained Ussop, lifting Sanji on his back, but Ash cut them.

\- "Except that your plan is not going to work as expected."

Ussop and Nami turned their head to Ash, who was tilted on an enormous telescope, looking at the ark which floated near the Giant Jack.

\- "Seriously, where are you hiding those things ?" Asked Nami gesturing toward the telescope. "And what do you mean by that ?"

\- " I mean that Jet Dials are covering the whole hull of the ark to keep it flying and Ener is probably going to repair his machine faster than we planned. "

\- " We don't care ! Since we are going out of this place, none of that really matters. " Tried Ussop, not really wanting to stay here any longer.

\- " I didn't know that there were such coward in this crew. You really plan to leave and let Ener destroy this place ? "

Ash words made the pirates think. They thought about Conis, her father, and all these people who didn't asked anything and who are going to lose everything because of this guy and his god-complex. But at the same time, they didn't see what they could do to prevent him from doing whatever he wanted to do.

\- " Furthermore, your captain will not leave. I have this feeling that there's something he have to do here and he won't leave without succeeding. I imagine that he is of the stubborn kind on this kind of thing, no ? "

Ussop and Nami sighed, realizing that indeed, if Luffy decided to stay, they'll had to stay too. Nami shook her head to clear her mind and resumed talking.

\- " Anyway, no matter what happen, we have to get the others in the ruins before doing anything else. Let's go ! "

Nami, Ussop and Sanji, still carried by the sniper, got on the Waver and left, heading to the Giant Jack, followed by Ash who used his shock waves to follow them, without falling behind. When they finally arrived at the base of the huge bean, they realized that they wouldn't have to go down in the ruin to vetch the others.

\- " Robin ! Aisa ! You're alright ! " Asked the navigator when she saw the archaeologist, the young girl and also Pierre, the three of them standing in front of the Giant Jack, seemingly in good shape.

\- " Ah! Miss navigator, Mr. long nose and Mr. cook. "

\- " I think it's now official, I am definitely invisible. " complained the scarf wearer while the group finally stopped in front of the bean, Ussop seeing for the first time Ener's other victims.

\- " Zoro ! Chopper ! The old man ! That raider, too ! Damn, everyone is down… ?! If only I've been there … "

\- " … Nothing would have changed. "

\- " DO NOT RUIN MY MOMENTS ! " Roared Ussop by turning to Ash, who looked at Aisa curiously.

\- " Wait. If Aisa is there, where is Luffy ? "

\- " He went up the vine, to rescue you ! " Answered Aisa

\- " So we missed him. It doesn't matter, I'm going to take the Waver and go up there to look for him). The rest of you go back to our ship ! "

/- Meanwhile, aboard the ark -/

\- " These small insects of the Blue Sea have more caused more problem than I thought they could, but they can do nothing against God. It is now time to level this place and begin the journey towards Fairy Vearth. "

The sky was now completely covered with thunder clouds, darkening the whole sky islands whereas lightning crossing the clouds were growing in number and violence.

 _ **DEATHPIEA : MAMARAGAN !**_

/- At the base of the Giant Jack -/

An gigantic lightning bolt struck the ruins not far away from the group gathered at the foot of the huge bean in an powerful explosion who blew the rubbles and some of the survivor away. But the group notices that this strike was not the only one : a multitude of bolts identical to this one were showering on all the sky island, from Upper Yard to Angel Beach, destroying everything on their wake, enhancing the panic of the inhabitants who already felt like it was the end of the world. Nami however stuck to the plan and went back up on her Waver, determined to go and bring Luffy back with her. She sped up all at once and went up the bean whereas thunder destroyed more and more of the celestial islands, like the Shandias village or Lovely Street, God's altar, but also the boats which had already left the pier and run away from on the White-White Sea and even the city of Shandora, almost killing at the same time those who had stayed below. Nami from her part began to panic.

\- "He is too fast, I can't close the gap between us."

\- "It's maybe a weight problem."

Nami froze and without slowing down, turned her head to look above her shoulder, seeing Ash, his chains attached to the Waver, being pulled out by the vehicle as if he was water-skiing. Nami said nothing, just removing the chains without a word, letting Ash fall into the void crying all the while but strangely, it seemed like even after many seconds, the cry had the same intensity as the beginning. When Nami turned her head once again, this time looking at her right side, she once again end up face to face with Ash, still yelling, but using a strange technique to literally run in the air by her side.

\- "YOU ARE AN ANNOYING FUCKING ASSHOLE !" Roared Nami, shark-teethed, not able to keep up with his shit anymore, and coming from someone who spend her life dealing with Luffy and his whole collection of annoying quirks, it meant a lot.

\- "Why, thank you. I came because I thought that Luffy might need some help."

\- " Help for nothing ! I will make him come down from this bean. I'll drag him by his ass if I have too !"

\- "Well, he is a rubber man. You could pull him by his ass all you want, you'll end up dragging an ass and the rest of the body is not going to move. And I have this feeling that even if you could indeed pull him to the bottom of the bean, if he decided to stay, he will stay and you'll be forced to follow him, but not only because he is the captain. Am I right ?"

Nami didn't know what to say against that. She just turned her head to look in front of her, without contradicting Ash. He was right on this point : no matter what, Luffy always did what he wanted to do and always managed to make his crew follow him and it always seemed to bring them in impossible situation. But most of the time, his decisions always turned out to be giving them thing they need, like opponent to grow in term of strength. They continued their way up to the ruins where the Trial of Iron took place and when they finally pierced the cloud layer, the first thing they saw was the tip of the Giant Jack falling down, the vegetable struck by lightning which split the huge vegetable, sending a fragment of a dozens of meters long up to the ground, almost crushing the people massed at the foot of the bean. Popping up from the cloud like 2 rockets, they settled on the ground, brutally for Nami whereas Ash had reached the ground without any kind of incident, but nevertheless, Nami's Waver got the chance to land on some kind of airbag. A groaning one.

\- " Luffy ! " Exclaimed the navigator by realizing that she had landed on her captain, the golden ball still stuck on his arm.

\- " Eh ? Nami ! How did you get here ? Are you okay ? " answered Luffy, still stuck under the Waver, surprised that Nami was here, believing she was still on the Maxim ark.

\- " I'm alright, don't worry." She answered, kinda happy that he thought about her wellbeing despite the situation. "Sanji and Ussop saved me. I am here picked you up and go down. "

\- " I see. That's great ! But right now, I need to… " Luffy began, getting out from under the wooden vehicle, before being stopped by Ash's intervention.

\- " Wait ! What is that !? "

Nami and Luffy turned their head to Ash to see him point to something behind them. Shooting their head in the same direction than the one he was pointing at, they saw that the clouds had split up. More exactly, many clouds gathered to form one huge cloud who little by little end up taking the shape of a gigantic crackling ball of electricity slowly but surely coming down, heading for the city where the sky folk lived.

\- " Oh no ! That ball of cloud look a lot more condensed with electrical energy than normal !" Explained the navigator, her knowledge in meteorology letting her guess that this sphere was nothing more than a bad omen.

\- " There's no need to have a doctorate in meteorology to understand that this thing is one hell of a bad news, Nami ! But thank you anyway ! " Teased Ash, getting almost no reaction on behalf of none of the two pirate, the two too focused on this sphere to care about the taunt.

/- On the ark -/

\- " YAHAHAHA! " Ener, standing on the railing of his ark exulted. " I am absolute in the sky ! I surprise even myself with my power ! With Maxim, all kinds of miracle are possible ! YAHAHAHAHA ! "

 _ **RAIGO !**_

/- Back to Luffy and his group -/

The 3 citizens from the Blue Sea, just like all the other persons on the sky island, could do nothing but be witness of the horror show that was displayed in front of them. When that huge ball of thunder clouds touched the cloudy ground of the city, it exploded, unleashing the power of the lightning that was gathered inside in an explosion of light and lightning bolt which blinded everyone on the island. When the light had finally faded away, the show was still striking but not for the same, nor the good, reasons. Where Conis home town once stood had now became a gaping hole, the city totally vaporized with the exception of some part of the cloudy road which connected the city with Upper Yard. Everybody was in shock, including our 3 friends, Nami getting back on the Waver to leave but Luffy didn't seemed ready to move.

\- "Luffy ! Get on the Waver ! We're leaving ! The others are probably already back on the ship by now ! We have to go, too !"

\- "FALSE !" Interrupted Ash, another telescope taken out from nowhere by his side, aimed at the foot of the bean. "They are all at the bottom of the bean, they didn't moved. I have the feeling that they are waiting for their captain."

\- "What ? But I told them to leave !" Nami said unhappy, not understanding why they had not listened to her.

\- "Except that you are not the captain. It's his orders before yours. Can't do nothing against that." Explained Ash by pointing to Luffy, the latter still looking at the huge hole in the middle of the White-White Sea.

\- "I'm sorry, Nami but I'm not coming down now ! I still have something to take care off ! The golden bell is here !" Those last words Luffy said made the redhead navigator lost her temper.

\- " Gold ? Gold isn't important right now ?"

\- " ' Gold isn't important '? Who are you and what have you done to Nami ?"Asked for Ash, dressed like Sherlock Holmes, a pipe in his mouth and examining Nami through a magnifying glass.

\- "SHUT UP, YOU DUMBASS ! Luffy, look around you ! Even if you are immune to lightning, he can still destroy the entire island and you with it ! And you already have that huge chunk of gold on your hand ! So let's go, or you'll die for sure ! YOUR LIFE IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT THAN A BELL, LUFFY !

\- "YOU SAW IT DOWN THERE, RIGHT ?" Countered Luffy, whose conviction didn't falter.

\- "SAW WHAT ?

\- "The golden city ! The golden city does exist !"

Nami stopped dead in her track, not understanding where Luffy wanted say anymore, while Ash realized what Luffy wanted to say.

\- "The lie of Montblanc Norland !"

\- "It wasn't a lie. The diamond head mister's ancestor wasn't lying. I have to tell him that Norland wasn't lying and that the golden city is here in the sky !" Explained Luffy, Nami finally realizing what Luffy wanted to do.

\- "By ringing the bell, seeing its size, I'm sure he'll hear it even on Jaya. At least, he'll know that his ancestor was right. Besides, by ringing the bell, one would relight the flame of Shandora, allowing the 400-year-old promise made between Calgara and Norland to finally come true !"

\- "This is why I can't let that bastard have this bell. I have to ring that bell so loud that everyone in Grand Line will hear it ! THIS IS WHY I AM GOING TO STAY HERE AND RING THIS BELL NO MATTER WHAT !"

\- "Luffy …"

Luffy's conviction made tears appears in Nami's eyes, who felt bad to have doubted the pure heart of her captain, the same heart which made her change what she thought about pirates. But she was not the only one.

\- "HAHAHAHAHA !"

Luffy and Nami turned to Ash who laughed like a madman, without none of the two knowing what to do against that until he finally stopped laughing and turns towards them, a satisfied smile on his lips.

\- "Aaaah, it is too good. I felt that you weren't like the other pirates, but to risk your life just to settle a 400-year-old injustice and promise, I have to say that I'm surprised. I am going to give you a hand, Luffy. I think I have finally found the perfect team for my project." He mumble the last part, keeping it to himself, but Nami felt uneasy, without knowing why, but brushed it aside for now, knowing they will need all the help they could gather.

\- " Thank you, Ash, but I'm going to go there alone, there's no need for you to put yourself in harm way for nothing. Stay there and protect Nami, okay ? " And with this, he stretched his arm to catch the ark, leaving behind him a Nami and Ash surprised by those words, but he didn't left them alone for long since Ener was waiting for him and the lightning-man kicked Luffy's hand, sending him back to the others.

\- " I don't recall ever inviting you to be on the ship. " Said Ener from his ark. " Did you like the view when the entire island vanished ? Girl, if you are thinking of rejoining me…It's too late for you. "

\- " I never would've joined you anyways ! " Answered Nami before Luffy stood between her and the 'God'.

\- " Leave her out of this and come down here to fight, you asshole ! " The threat had no effect since Ener kept on and ignored the rubber man.

\- " Hah ! As soon as I find what I want… I will summon another Raigo and eradicate Skypiea completely ! You and the others below you can do nothing but stare helplessly as I destroy this human country unfitting for the sky… AND RETURN EVERYTHING TO HOW IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ! "

\- " A god born in the sky which considers people who live there as ' unnatural '? Is that irony I smell ? " Threw Ash by sniffing the air around him, letting Luffy dash once again to reach the arc by running on the Giant Jack, but he couldn't do anything because he was moved out by a lightning bolt which struck the tip of the bean and sent him back once again to his partners.

\- " YAHAHA … Goodbye, rubber man… We shall not meet again ! Just stay there and quietly wait for your doom ! No one can stop it from happening ! " Exulted Ener by going away from the Giant Jack, getting closer and closer to the legendary flame of Shandora. But Luffy refused to give up, this time trying to use Nami's Waver to reach Ener, but he was thrown away once again by thunderbolt.

\- " AAHHH FUCK THAT ! " He roared, losing it. " I have to go up there. I have to let them know ! I have to ring this bell ! "

Luffy's frustration also touched Nami and Ash, who wanted to do something but without knowing what, until Ash suddenly got an idea.

\- " Ener and his ark, they are still reachable. But for that, we have to bring down the Giant Jack ! "

\- " Wait, what ? How is that going to help us ? " Wondered Nami, ready to hear that firebrand suggestion if it could help them to succeed.

\- " If we make this bean tip over, we can use it as a launchpad to reach the ark with the Waver. We have to pass the message to the others. "

\- " Are you sure of that ? Nami, what do you think ? " Wondered Luffy, turning to Nami to see what she thought of this plan.

\- " It can work ! We are going to do it ! But I need something to write and a support. "

Ash did not lose anymore time. He fetched one of the enormous leaves growing on the Giant Jack and brought it to Nami who hurried to leave a message, as short and clear as she could to save time, before throwing the leaf off the cloud they were on.

\- " Now we just have to wait for them to get the message and do as they are told. Be ready to go ! It could go down at any time !"

Ash and Luffy ran, the elastic man taking place behind Nami on the Waver, Ash standing next to them, ready to use his powers to follow them when the bean will start his fall. Regrettably, while they waited for their friends to succeed, they attended the birth of the second Raigo which, as Ener promised, was big enough to engulf all of Skypiea and reduce to ashes everything on kilometers around. The others had to hurry to bring down the Giant Jack, or everything was lost.

\- " Nami, are you sure to want to do it ? I would understand if you wanted to go back with the others. I can take care of this guy by myself. " suggested Luffy, not feeling well about letting his navigator come with them this time.

\- " Of course, you need somebody to drive the Waver. And furthermore, I can't really consider as a pirate if I constantly have to depend on the others when it comes to fighting. " She ended with a derisive smile towards Ash, the latter smiling, understanding that she was talking about the remarks which he had made when they were on the Maxim ark.

\- " And you, are you also staying ? " Luffy now asking the question to Ash, turning to him, the latter looking at the arc.

\- " Long ago, I swore to do everything I could to make sure I never let people be led by somebody who does not deserve it. And this guy is one of those guy I can't let do as they want. Then I won't leave as long as this dude will be a threat for the sky islands. Is that a good enough motive for you ? "

\- " OK. I trust you, then. Shishishi ! "

Luffy punctuated his answer with his usual big smile whereas Nami could not refrain from feeling that there was something off with him, but at the moment, she was going to let it slide. And if Luffy trusted him, it wasn't for nothing, or at least she hoped it was not for nothing.

And finally, the signal they were waiting for came. The huge bean began to tip over towards the Maxim ark, giving the signal for Nami and Ash to start, going back up the falling vegetable, a second Mamaragan making thunderbolts shower down on everything around them in a rather vain attempt to push them away. Arriving at the top of the Giant Jack, the Waver took off, going straight ahead to the ark and Ener, the latter being more dulled than anything else when he saw them.

\- " Will this never end ? You're too late, trash. This should be big enough already so… IT IS NOW TIME FOR YOU AND SKYPIEA TO VANISH INTO THIN AIR ! "

 _ **RAIGO !**_

That's when the three partner finally noticed the XXL thunderclouds sphere they had managed, without knowing how, to forget. The gigantic mass of crackling electricity that was Raigo was just over them, coming down slowly, getting closer and closer to them, and consequently closer to the sky islands. And this is when Luffy took a rather bold decision. He jumped off the Waver, taking the time to make sure that Nami and the Waver had landed on a small cloud situated just below him, whereas the rubber man went straight to the Raigo.

\- " LUFFY ! Don't be stupid ! This thing is a real bomb of concentrated electricity ! Even your rubber body is not going to survive that ! "

But this warning didn't do anything to stop Luffy, the pirate disappearing in the huge mass of clouds whereas the Giant Jack just finished its falling, crashing on the ground. But inside the cloud, Luffy had just begun to rock his golden ball in everything directions which, from the outside, made the sphere go more and more unstable with each passing second, the conductive metal disrupting the electric currents, threatening to cancel the Raigo, something Ener couldn't let happen.

\- " Shit. I have to get rid of him before he depletes all the electricity ! "

On these words, the sphere continued its descent, Ener hoping to reduce the sky islands to ashes before Luffy end up draining all the electricity from the Raigo. But it was already too late, the mass of thunderclouds dissipating all at once, revealing Luffy, up in a now sunny sky, not a single clouds around him anymore, his anger toward 'God' still raging. For Luffy, it was time to finish this here and now, so he stretched his gold wearing arm back, twisting it around.

\- " Hehe, hi again ! This time, it's my turn to knock you off ! "taunted Luffy, satisfied, whereas Ener was now really angry.

\- " How dare you destroy the Raigo... You cursed monkey of the Blue Sea ! Now you have truly angered God !"

 _ **200 MILLIONS VOLT : AMARU !**_

Ener then unleashed his full power, which made him took the shape of a gigantic version of himself in a more godlike form, completely made of crackling electricity.

\- " What is that ?! " Luffy in front of such an appearance exclaimed.

\- " Want to ring the golden bell, do you ? Is it because of the legend of its sound signifying the end of the war ? You are pathetic to believe in such nonsense ! I am the almighty God ! You are just a super-human type devil fruit user ! You are no match for me, God of the element !"

Then he threw a lightning punch at Luffy, who naturally, felt nothing and came out unscathed.

\- " God this, god that, blah, blah, blah ! A stupid shitty god like you is better off gone ! "

The pirate sent Ener back away with a big kick to his face. But Ener had more or less planned that, a trident appearing behind Luffy, ready to skewer him. Ener threw the golden trident towards Luffy, but the elastic man felt almost nothing, strangely. Looking behind him since he was feeling something hard against his back and the only thing he saw was a red scarf waving like a flag.

\- " ASH !? " Nami and Luffy exclaimed, surprised that he was up there, hands and foot on the trident, trying to prevent Luffy from impaling on the golden spikes, fighting against Luffy's body who was pressing on him, pulled back by the golden ball still stretched out, the heated metal burning his hand in the process. " But what are you doing here ? You're going to be killed ! "

\- " Tch, sorry to disappoint you, Luffy, but it's going to take a lot more than that to put me in a coffin. Also, seeing that I want to see this guy get beaten up and that I can't do it myself, I'd better give you an hand ! But that shit is kinda too much for me, right now !"

But regrettably, the weight began to really be too much for him and Ash let go, falling down with the rubber man under Ener satisfied look and Nami horrified one.

\- " Luffy ! Ash ! "

Having said that, none of the two fighters wanted to give up. Luffy managed to grab the cloud where Nami was currently standing on, his body stretched to the max, whereas Ash seemed to skip on the spot in the middle of the sky, eyes aimed at Luffy.

\- " NAMI ! GET OUT OF THERE ! "

\- " Eh ? "

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO ROCKET !**_

The navigator didn't move, not understanding what Luffy was going to do, forcing Ash to throw himself on her to push her farther on the cloud just as Luffy trotted with the golden ball like an arrow fired by a crossbow until he find himself back at the same level as the ark, aligned with the golden bell, his arm taking back the same position as before, stretched towards the back and twisted up on itself.

 _ **GOMU GOMU NO …**_

\- " You are trying to use the same trick once again ? " Questioned God, amused by seeing so much stubbornness despite it being so vain.

\- "I will make the bell ring again no matter what ! "

\- " Yahahaha, Dream on, scum ! I'll be sure to pierce through your heart this time ! "

Indeed, Ener held in each of his hands a golden trident, both humongous in size, sertainly big enough to stop Luffy's move. But for those trident to do the job, they would have to stay in position in front of him. Which was not the case.

 _ **SHOCK SPLIT KICK !**_

Ash had suddenly appears between the tridents, upside down, doing the split, a leg stretched forwards, the other to the back, striking both tridents with shock waves near the hands, which dislodged the tridents and sent them far away from their owner, who looked down and saw, behind the stretched legs, Ash's face, giving him the finger with both his hands.

\- " Impertinent scum ! "

Ener slapped Ash, who was struck by 200 million volts of electricity, putting his lights out and he fell into the void, Ener satisfies but remembering that he had forgotten a more important threat. And when he lifted back his head, it was already too late.

… _**GOLDEN RIFLE !**_

Luffy's spinning arm shot out like a missile, the golden ball suddenly acting like a huge cannonball which Ener was unable to dodge, colliding hard with the metallic mass, his body made of electricity not helping to protect himself. If the impact was already violent and enough to put him out of the fight, it did not stop there, the rubber arm keeping on stretching, taking Ener with him, tearing away a big part of the roof of the ark and sending him straight ahead towards the golden bell which stood behind the ark. And the inevitable happened.

\- " RIIIIIIIIIING ! "

Luffy's shout echoed just as the golden mass collided with the bell, the time seemingly slowing down at the same time, Ener getting sandwiched between both metallic surface, the strength of the impact being enough to make the golden sphere shatter as if it was made of glass, finally freeing Luffy's arm, whereas the bell rocked for the first time in almost 400 years, getting ready to make its melody echoed through the sky and to relight a flame that should have never been put out.

\- " Hey, Diamond-head mister ! Do you hear it ? The golden city is here ! For the whole 400 years… The golden city has always been here …. IN THE SKY !"

*DOOONNNG*

 **And here we are, the end of this fight. I hope that you liked it. I still have 1 or 2 chapter left before finishing this fic. I have already planned to do Enies Lobby, for the other, we shall see, but I have some ideas. Bye !**

 **Next time: the end of the nightmare echoes through the skies ! Epilogue of a useless war. The poneglyphs of the sky islands.**


	9. Chapter 9 : Epilogue in the sky

**HELLO! How are you ? Well I hope. Today, I offer you the epilogue of the saga of the sky islands, which will have been rather short, I know, but especially meant to be an introduction for my OC, Ashuku aka Ash. But let us not waste any more time and let's get started with the epilogue.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own One Piece.**

 **Chapter 9: the epilogue of the celestial islands**

\- " RIIIIINNNNGGGGG ! "

*DOOOOOOOOOOOOONG*

A cry. Coming from the straw hat wearing pirate which had just achieved something that many considered as impossible. A sound. Coming from a legendary bell which made its melody heard for the first time after 400 years of silence. And at the same time, an 4 centuries old promise finally coming true.

Indeed, following an epic fight against an enemy who seemed invincible at first, Monkey D. Luffy, the young pirate from East Blue had finally managed to beat Ener once and for all, the man of lightning born in the sky islands, saving its inhabitants and preventing them from being destroyed by the self-proclaimed God and at the same time rang the bell of Shandora, the legendary golden bell, putting an end to a 400 years old fight. Luffy was by the way still in the middle of the sky, free falling after dealing the deathblow to Ener, the latter landing on a small cloud whereas the bell tipped over and fell towards Upper Yard.

\- " Do you hear it, diamond-head mister ?! Big monkeys ?! The golden city does exists ! "

At the foot of the Giant Jack, the rest of the straw hat crew, with the exception of Nami who had accompanied Luffy, also heard the sound of this bell.

\- " He did it ! " Cried Ussop, talking about Luffy, understanding that if the bell was ringing, it meant that Luffy succeeded and had beaten Ener.

\- " What a beautiful sound… " Robin simply said.

\- " Wow ! How nice ! What's that sound ? What's that sound ? " asked Chopper, amazed but a little confused since he was unconscious when they first talked about the golden bell.

\- "So this is what Norland heard back then… " said Sanji, sitting on the ground. If the reactions of the crew were just limited to some kind of admiration and delight, for some inhabitants of the skies, for example Gan Fall, this sound meant much more.

\- " I kne it… I knew this day would come… I knew it would… " the old man, submerged by the emotion when he heard that legendary sound, cried. And moreover, everywhere through the sky islands, the inhabitants, whether they were native of the sky or heirs of Shandora, also heard the bell ringing, each one of them interpreting it in his own way, but all understanding that it was about a happy omen. Even the huge snake into which Luffy and Aisa had been 'locked' seemed moved to tears hearing this bell.

\- " Do you hear it ? Norland Montblanc. " Began Wiper, standing up, eyes closed. " I'm sorry to be a little late. I only hope your descendent can hear this… "

And indeed, it was the case. On the island of Jaya, sitting by the ocean near his house, Cricket looked at the sky, the sound of the golden bell reaching him and his team.

\- " Yeah, there is no doubt about it. " He began while getting up. " There is only one bell which can ring like that. The sound of the bell is coming from the sky. … I see. So there is a reason why those 'giants' always appear only when the 'millennium cumulonimbus' appears… When the sunlight is blocked by people standing high in the sky, the shadows cast on the fog below will be very big. Big enough for people to mistake them as giants in the fog… However difficult it is to believe, the sound of the bell coming from the sky is the undeniable proof of that fact. The golden city exists and is just floating in the sky. Norland, my ancestor, wasn't a liar. Hey, kid, so the golden city is all up there, huh ? " He ended his sentence by facing the mist in front of him, a gigantic shadow casted on it, one of a young man wearing a hat.

/-Back in the clouds-/

\- " Look ! Over there ! "

This shout, coming from one of the inhabitants of Angel Beach, drew the attention of everybody on 2 silhouettes which were falling towards the White-White Sea. The first one, massive and kinda spherical was the Maxim ark which, without the powers of Ener, couldn't fly anymore and just behind, another silhouette, human sized with some kind of circle on the back. It was Ener, who followed the same route as his ark, dislodged from the cloud on which he had landed by the latter, both disappearing in the layer of clouds. Meanwhile, in the middle of the sky over Upper Yard, Luffy was stretched out on a small cloud, together with Nami and Ash, all taking advantage of the peace to get over the commotion.

\- "It rang. " said Luffy, exhausted and laying on his back.

\- "Yup". Simply answered Nami, eyes riveted on the horizon, but throwing from time to time discreet looks towards her captain, something that Ash couldn't help but noticed.

\- " There are big chances that they heard the bell all the way to the Grand Line. You did it. Well, it is nice and all, but I am going to get down. " threw Ash by getting up, Nami and Luffy looking at him suspiciously.

\- " We aren't limited by time. What's the problem ? " asked Luffy, intrigued by the behavior of the scarf wearing guy.

\- " Well, alone on a small clouds, with a hyper cleared view on the horizon, with the sun lying down. It is a pretty romantic sight and I don't really want to be the third wheel so goodbye. "

He had barely enough time to see the face of Nami reaching a scarlet red tint in the span of one second before throwing himself off the cloud, not wanting to stay one more second on it, otherwise he would have been destroyed by the navigator who was roaring at him, her face red with embarrassment and anger, Ash also having the chance to see the same tint on Luffy's face before jumping, an expression which let him believe that the rubber man was not as naïve about emotion and feeling as all though he was.

" His instinct seems to know more on feelings than his brain. I wonder if I can do something with that ? " Wondered Ash, while he was free falling, slowed down by his powers.

/-Later, in the ruins of Shandora-/

\- " HEEYYYYYYY ! "

After they had all came down from the cloud, Nami and Luffy had joined Ash who had landed on the Merry and after reuniting with Conis who had guarded the boat, then they had filled up with reserves in the meat safe of the priests they had found by chance and had finally found the others in the ruins, Ash carrying alone the huge bag of food, his face deformed by huge bumps.

\- " OOOH! NAMI-SWAN! CONIS-CHAN! " Exclaimed Sanji, his eye shaped like a heart by seeing both young women running towards them.

\- " Luffy! And Ash also ! AAAAHHH! But what's with those wounds ? DOCTOR, QUICK ! " Exclaimed Chopper, running up towards the young man, totally panicking.

\- " It's you. " Answered Ash, the newcomer voice muffled by his swelled up lips.

\- " But seriously, what happened to you ? " Asked the sniper whereas the small reindeer set to work.

\- " I was condemned by a devil to have spoken the truth. Something he perceived as a blasphemy. " His crypted answer intrigued the people around him with the exception of Nami who, in spite of a light redness on her face, sent him a dark gaze, and Luffy, too busy munching on a piece of meat which he had between his teeth.

\- " I am so glad you are all safe ! " Cried Conis, tears of relief pouring on her face, showing how traumatizing the events she had lived were. " I was so worried but I couldn't do a thing … "

\- " Ooooh ! Conis-chan, you were worried about me ?! " Dreamed Sanji in his ' Melorine ' mode

\- " No, not just you. " broke Ussop, without preventing the cook from making its moves.

\- " What is that bag ? Is that food ? Where did you found it ? " Asked Aisa, curious.

\- " We found the meat safe of the priests on the way. You can dig in, there is enough for everybody. " explained Nami, before Ash decided to add his own piece of information.

\- " It's for everybody until Luffy decides to eat everything. *whispering to Nami* Unless he wants to EAT you up, if you know what I mean. "

The allusion was understood and analyzed in a matter of millisecond by the navigator who threw her fist towards Ash but she had struck Ussop, placed here by Ash who had already disappeared.

\- " BASTARD ! COME BACK HERE ! " Roared the navigator and the sniper, the head of the latter covered with a wide bump courtesy of Nami who didn't even tried to apologize. " YOU CAN HIDE, I WILL FIND YOU ONE DAY !" Ended the redhead before turning to the rest of the group.

\- " By the way, where is your father? " asked Zoro, talking to Conis who lowered her head, her face strained by sadness.

\- " He… um … He tried to protect me from Ener … And " the end of her sentence never came but it was enough for the pirates to understand what it meant. He had given up his life for her.

\- " You mean… " began Chopper without finishing his sentence, sending a chill on the atmosphere which killed the mood instantly.

\- "Conis" whispered Sanji, Luffy and Pagaya, moved and saddened.

Until the 5 founders of the Straw hat Pirates realized that something was weird

\- " YOU SOUNDED LIKE THE ONE WHO DIED WASN'T YOU OR SOMETHING ! " Roared the 5 pirates, shark teethed, by pointing at Pagaya who stood behind them.

\- " I'M SORRY ! I AM STILL ALIVE ! " Answered Pagaya by taking a step back, taken by surprise by such a hostility which was a little understandable.

\- " You overcame death. Congratulation! " Congratulated Ash by putting a hand on the shoulder of Pagaya, reappearing for the first time since his flight. But he was violently catapulted into the air by a red hair who punched him square in the jaw.

\- " I SAID THAT I WOULD HAVE YOU ONE DAY ! " Roared the navigator, satisfied with her blow and watching Ash smashing into a tree a little farther.

\- " DAD ! " Joyfully cried Conis throwing herself on her father, crying while on her knees which send the visitors of the Blue Sea back to reality, with Pagaya explaining how he survived.

\- " In fact, I thought I was going to keep falling down but I was saved. Moreover, the inhabitants who had run away towards the White Sea are coming back up via the Milky Way. But since Angel Island is now destroyed, they have no other choices than coming at Upper Yard. "

\- " Well, now that everything is settled, I propose that we take advantage of it to rest. We all need it. We shall think about what we shall do later. "

Everybody accepted the proposal of the navigator and they opened the bag of food, taking their time to rest.

/-Later, in the ruins of Shandora-/

The night had just fallen on Upper Yard and that is when Wiper woke up, at first intrigued by the place he was in, worth knowing some kind of building with columns with a layer of cloud used as a ground and another one used like a ceiling.

\- " Where am I? "

\- " In the ruins of Shandora. "

By turning to the voice which had answered him, he discovered that it was Gan Fall, who stood a little farther. The sight of the knight forced Wiper to try to get up but his wounds prevented him from doing so, also held back by Conis, on her knees by his side, busy taking care of his wounds.

\- " Calm down. Don't try to push it with your wounds … "

\- "Chief ? " Answered Wiper, surprised to see his old chief here. " And the golden bell ? We still have to guard it from … "

\- " Take it easy, Wiper… Just listen " answered the leader by walking to the curtain which marked the exit. " In the past… The warrior had their reason for war. For our generations, the sky is our home. "

\- " Chief ! " Wiper got indignant while getting up, not being able to believe the leader of his tribe could say such things.

\- " Listen, Wiper. The earth…. " Began the leader by pushing the fabric which separated them from the outside. " had never rejected anyone. It was us, who rejected each other. And right now, among us… There is not one person… who desire the continuation of the war. "

And behind the curtain was held a show which left the warrior speechless. Citizens of the Blue Sea, Shandians and inhabitants of Angel Beach were all gathered around a gigantic bonfire in the center of Shandora, all happy and united by the end of a conflict which nobody wanted to pursue, celebrating at the same time the liberation of the sky from the tyranny of Ener and his henchmen, a reign of terror which who last for more than 6 years. Alcohol and food came like a never-ending rain, everybody dancing and singing with each other, we could see in this crowd Laki laughing, Chopper and Sanji dancing the night away, Zoro having a drink with Braham, the huge snake dancing in the middle of the crowd, but also the same wolves as those who had joined the pirates during their first night in the wood. On the edges of the place, sitting on the rubbles were, for example, Robin and Ash, smiling at the show, which also drew a smile from Wiper which finally understood. The war had ended. Time of peace finally came.

/-Several days later-/

The festivities had lasted several days and several nights, a necessary party to celebrate the end of a 400 years long conflict. In the middle of the night, while everybody slept, some in more than strange positions, a person got up and made his way silently between the sleepy party goers. It was Luffy, who woke Ash without realizing it by walking and by pushing knocking down a bottle, the noise of the glass bringing the white haired young man out of his torpor.

\- " What the hell is he doing ? " Ash asked himself seeing Luffy wandering like a ninja to his crew, sleeping a little farther. Getting up, he followed the captain who had squatted down beside Nami, shaking her slowly to wake her up.

\- " Psst, Nami ! Wake everyone up. " Whispered the captain while his woke up, rubbing her eyes to get rid of her fatigue.

\- " Eh ? Luffy? What is it ? " Asked the red-haired girl, clearly not expecting to see her captain at such a time.

\- "Let's steal all the gold and run away…! " he whispered with a finger in front of his smile to order his navigator to be quiet.

\- " Eh ?! Gold, really ? I thought that Ener had taken it all ? " Answered Nami, the mention of gold having totally woken her, apparently delighted that Luffy wanted such a thing. But...

\- "Stupid ! Don't talk so loud !" Shouted Luffy.

\- " You're the one who is loud " mentioned Ash, squatting down beside the captain.

\- " But I spoke less loudly that you! " Roared Nami to answer the question, ignoring Ash and speaking louder than Luffy, the duet continuing their exchange by turning the volume up more and more with each retort, which of course had consequences. Waking the other up that is.

\- " BE QUIET ! I can't sleep with all this noise ! " Roared Ussop, striking the ground with its fist, but for lack of ground, he struck Chopper, the poor reindeer crying too, but with pains this time.

\- " OUCH, that hurts ! Ussop hit me ! "

\- " I believe that I'll have to apply some 'Calm down'. " mumbled Ash to himself.

\- " Good morning, Nami-swan ! Huh ! IT'S STILL NIGHT TIME ! " Shouted the cook waking up.

\- " STOP SHOUTING, LOUSY COOK ! " This time, it was Zoro who had just came out of his slumber and immediately 'attacked' Sanji, starting yet another fight between the two.

\- " WHAT DID YOU SAY, LAWN HEAD ?! "

\- "Fufufu". Robin, known to be a light sleeper, was not excessively bothered by the rude awakening and she just laughed at this show which Ash had a hard time staying calm since he wasn't the kind of guy who liked waking up so early. And he had just reached his critical point. He moved in a flash behind each one of them, with the exception of Robin, hitting them behind their head, stopping them immediately. Which didn't please them, to say the least.

\- " WHAT THE HELL ?! WHAT DID YOU JUST DO ?! "

\- " I applied some 'Calm down'. Now, can you resume this discussion quietly, please ? "

With this, he left to go to bed but not without taking time to listen one last time to their discussion.

\- " You guys got that ? Make the best out of tomorrow. Don't forget to do anything and regret later !"

 _"Ah, pirate and gold, a great story. But I wonder where he think he'll found gold if Ener used it all ? Oh well, not my problem."_

/-The next day-/

As Luffy had said the night before, they left early in the morning to find the gold Ener had seemingly forgot, leaving behind them Robin, more interested in visiting more thoroughly the ruins and Ash who didn't felt concerned by all of that, planning to spend the day resting. This is when there was a small event which was going to take him out of his boredom. One of the Shandians had just tumbled in the ruins of Shandora rushing towards his chief.

\- " Chief ! We found the golden bell ! It's hanging on the fallen beanstalk ! Now everyone's getting ready to pull it back up ! "

If this piece of news concerning the bell wasn't that interesting to him at first, the solemn expressions on Robin's usually impassive face intrigued him much more. Seeing her picking up her bag and following the Shandians up to the where the bell was, he decided to follow her. After several minutes of walking, they arrived at the bell which had been pulled back up and that was now standing up proudly, the inhabitants of the sky all proudly staring at it. One of them then noticed a kind of square stele filled with strange inscription on the bell pedestal.

\- " Look over there. A Poneglyph … "

\- " It's the tablet that our ancestors sacrificed themselves and the city to protect ! Chief, what is written here ?" asked one of the Shandians, addressing his boss who was standing in front of the bell.

Ash's eyes, who followed the scene from afar, opened wide when he heard the word ' Poneglyph ' that he associated directly with a dark part of the history the World Government tried to erase at all costs. But it's what followed that took him by surprise.

\- " I cannot decipher the language on it, but that is not important because… "

\- " ' Before the heart of truth there is no need for words. We are the recorders of history existing in harmony with the sound of the great bell. ' "

Robin had just walked up, reciting what she had discovered in the ruins of Shandora when she discovered them, taking by surprise the chief who wasn't expecting that, but also Ash who looked at her with big eyes before adopting a rather dark expression, his brain shifting into overdrive.

\- " W-where did you learn those words ? Can you really decipher that ancient language ? " Asked the chief surprised, whereas Robin still moved forward until she stopped in front of the bell's Poneglyph.

\- " The 'ancient weapon' with a power so strong that it was named after the god … Poseidon ? "

Everyone was surprised, nobody expecting that this text could talk about a weapon. But Robin only seemed disappointed, something which did not escape Ash, then she turned her heels, ready to leave when a villager called out to her.

\- " Hey, wait ! There's some word on the side. Did you see it ? " He asked by pointing at a small inscription on the side of the bell. By reading this small text which she had missed at first, Robin was taken over by surprise.

\- " ' We came here, found the text and followed it's guidance. Gold D. Roger. ' "

Ash and Robin's eyes opened wide at the same time, their spirits busy by the same questions, in particular one which created a lot more of them : how could the king of pirates know and write in a language which had disappeared for centuries and as important as this one ?

\- "Roger, you said ?" asked Gan Fall, sitting on a root. "20 years ago, someone from the Blue Sea came to Skypiea. Is he the one who carved that message ?"

\- " The king of pirates found this bell. And it is said here that there are two types of Poneglyph : those who give information and those who lead to those information. This Poneglyph is one of those which gives information. ' We came here, found the text and followed it's guidance … ' It's guidance … Then the Rio Poneglyph is actually ! " Her analysis finished and having apparently realized something, Robin turned to the head of the Shandias and Gan Fall. " Chief, this Poneglyph has already served its purpose. "

\- " Its purpose ? " Repeated the head, without understanding.

\- " Yes. There are many Poneglyph around the world, and one must link them together to get the records of the lost history. " By hearing about ' lost history ', Ash seemed all of a sudden more attentive. " The Rio Ponéglyphe is the combined result of these Poneglyph and Gold D. Roger has recovered the one that this tablet here refers to. "

While the chief fell on his knees, shaken by the emotion by understanding that his people did not have to fight any more, Ash thought about what the archaeologist had said.

 _" If Gold D. Roger discovered the place mentioned by this Rio Ponéglyphe, he probably know things that the World Government absolutely wanted to keep secret, which would explain that the Marine put so much effort to arrest him. It also surely meant that this secret could be in a place which only Roger knew and discovered: the end of Grand Line, Raftel ! Well, let's get out of the shadow for now."_

\- " Hey! So, this is the bell, huh ? It is even more impressive from up close ! " Exclaimed Ash, playing his role perfectly, nobody suspecting that he was there since the beginning, although Robin seemed to have some suspicions.

\- " It is, isn't it ? By the way, would you like to take this gold ? In the Blue Seas, gold is extremely valuable, right ? I can't give you the bell, but how about this broken pillar " Proposed the chief by gesturing toward an enormous broken column made of pure gold which had landed next to the bell.

\- " Really ? Everyone will be thrilled ! " Asserted Robin.

\- " Yeah, and a navigator is going to particularly love it. But I believe that the boat is not solid enough to carry something as big as that. " stated Ash, but his remark fell on deaf ears because people had begun to gather to try to bring this pillar to the pirates.

\- "Tell me" called out Gan Fall, drawing the attention of Robin and Ash who had begun to walk away. " This young boy remind me of Roger when he had arrived on the island. Are they related in any way ? "

\- " Not exactly. " Answered Ash, a smile forming under his scarf. " But his name is Monkey D. Luffy, if that answers your question. "

\- " D.? I see. They are more than connected, then. "

\- " Yes, indeed. " Answered Robin, a smile identical to that of Ash appearing on her face. " Perhaps the connection between them is another 'lost history'. But whatever happens, I'm sure he'll leave his mark in this world. "

After several minutes of walking in the forest, they had finally got back to the ruins, the rest of the crew being gathered in the centers of said ruins, all carrying big bags which seemed filled to the brim. Taking out his binoculars, Ash saw some gold inside the bag.

\- " Seriously, where did they found all this gold ? "

\- " Hey ! Robin! Ash! Hurry up ! We stole their gold ! We need to hurry up and leave ! " Roared Luffy, seemingly not understanding that the brunette and the white weren't alone, which Sanji did not delay pointing it out to him. Next to them, Ussop and Chopper seemed to be panicking.

\- " Hey! It seems that they are leaving already ! Wait ! Stop right there ! " Alas, their shouts didn't reached the pirate and the chaos followed suit. The pirates began to flee, the Shandians and angels (AN: I'm talking about the first inhabitants of Skypiea) in hot pursuit who tried to thank them by all means.

\- " But don't you want this gold as a gift from us ?! " Wondered one of the inhabitants, his answer coming from Robin and Ash who turned, smile on their lips.

\- " It seems that they don't want it anymore. " And the 2 ran off, joining the other pirates who were fleeing the ruins, some of them happy, the others fearing for their lives because of a huge quid pro quo.

/-Later-/

The pirates had finally reached the Merry and left the island without waiting, accompanied by Pagaya and Conis who led them to the exit of Skypiea to return on Grand Line. In high spirit due to the gold that they had recovered, they were all already thinking of what they were going to be able to buy once they'd be back on Grand Line. Luffy was thinking about an enormous statue, Ussop about more cannon, Chopper wanted medical books, Sanji tried to charm Nami to have a refrigerator with on lock on it but the latter seemed, strangely, calms despite the real hold-up they had successfully pulled of and the fortune she had now on in her hands.

\- " Calm down, everybody ! We shall split the gold once we are back on the Blue Sea. "

\- " Look ! Here we are ! ' Cloud End '! "

By hearing Pagaya's cry, they turned their head to the front of the boat, a big doorway similar to the one that they had used when they first arrived on the island. But this time, it was to leave it. All felt a certain sadness at the idea of leaving and leaving their friends behind them, but they really had no choice.

\- " *sigh* If only we could stay at least one more day. " The captain complained, laying down on the figurehead.

\- " But we can't Luffy. You saw as well as us the cannon they had with them, they must want to punish us for taking their gold. So we aren't getting back there. " Explained Nami, who shivered slightly by thinking about the huge packed cannon which they had seen in the ruins.

\- " Well, in fact, it was no cannon, but a piece of the golden bell. A pillar entirely made of gold and about ten meters long. "

This information, brought by Ash who was sitting on the railing, caught the attention of the crew, mainly of the red head navigator, Robin laughing slightly knowing what kind of reaction this news will brought out of them.

\- " AND YOU COULDN'T SAY THAT EARLIER ?! TUR THAT BOAT AROUND ! NOW ! " Roared the navigator, her eyes in the shape of Berries.

\- " Alas, it is now too late to go back. What a shame. " said Ash, teasing Nami furthermore.

\- " Why you little … "

Nami had caught Ash by his scarf but was unable to do anything else, interrupted by Pagaya and Conis who were now running next to the boat.

\- " We can't go any farther! Take care of yourselves, everyone ! "

\- " Take care of yourselves too. Thank you for everything ! "

\- " OK. Raise the sails ! We might fall down fast ! Get the gold inside ! " Commanded Nami, taking back her role in an instant. The euphoria was there, all motivated at the idea of returning to their home sea.

\- " Everyone, be careful. You are going to start falling soon ! "

\- "Falling ?"

This last warning from Conis cast a chill on the crew but before whoever could understands what she wanted meant, the Merry was already in the middle of the sky, with nothing below it but the void, the eyes of all the crew going out of their orbit, victim of a sudden fall no one was excepting and it was understandable : they had just discovered that to go back to the Blue Sea, there wasn't any road, just a free fall. Fall which lasted in the end only a moment because after some long seconds of fall, who seemed like many hour to the crew, an octopus came out of the clouds and caught the boat before swelling up with air, acting as some kind of parachute to the boat for the biggest enjoyment of a crew who had gotten over the shock of the fall. Far off, the pirates could hear the golden bell ringing, greeting their departure just like the inhabitants of Shandora had done for Norland 400 years ago. After several minutes of fall, accompanied by the sound of the bell, they finally touched, or rather collided with, the surface of the ocean, joining once again with their sea.

\- " Wow, it wasn't that bad. Is everyone safe ? " asked Ash.

\- " Well. That was one magical trip. " stated Sanji, lighting a nth cigarette.

\- " Thank you, I totally don't feel like I'm invisible. "

\- " Now that we are back down, that trip feels like a dream. " Added Robin.

\- " But of course, keep on ignoring me, it's not bothering me at all. " ironized Ash

\- " That's because it really was a dreamy place... " Added Nami

\- " Heh, I wonder if we will ever go back again. " Wondered Chopper, with Zoro answering him right away.

\- " Maybe you'll go there after you die. Or somewhere close. "

\- " I beg your pardon?" intervened Ash, thinking he heard that wrong.

\- " Zoro, are you sure that we'll go to heaven ? " Wondered Ussop, Ash asking himself the same question.

The minute of nostalgia having passed, Luffy quickly found his need for adventure back and his status of captain at the same time.

\- " OK! Lower the sails ! To the next island ! "

\- " Luffy wait a little. " stopped Nami. " Waves here are strange and the reason is right there. " She said pointing behind the boat, an giant wave formed by sea monkeys threatening to gobble them up.

\- " EVERYBODY TO HIS STATION ! QUICK OR WE ARE GOING TO BE CAUGHT UP BY THE WAVE ! "

Ash looked the pirates springing into action before going inside the boat, thinking again about what happened in Skypiea, more precisely the Poneglyph part.

 _" Tablet telling the events of a completely unknown fragment of the history and that the Worlf Government wants to keep secret. I ignore how you can translate this kind of text, but the World Government wants your death... "_ He Thought while taking out a wanted poster, with a 80 million Berries reward on the head of a 8-year-old child, with dark hair and in icy blue eyes. _" Isn't it, Nico Robin ? "_

 **AND HERE WE ARE ! The next chapter will be in fact a whole new fic, which will start right after this one and will lead us until the end of Enies Lobby. We shall discover more information about Ash real nature, who have a lot of secrets. I hope that you liked that fic. Thanks to those who have helped or at least supported me ! See you next time !**

 **By the way, I'm going on a week-long holyday in two weeks, from August the 18** **th** **to the 25** **th** **. I'll have time to write the French version of the first chapter of the next One Piece fic, but I won't be able to translate it until I'm back, meaning you won't have your first chapter in English before the 26. Unless I manage to write the first French chapter quick enough to get the translation done before, but I don't think I'll be able to. So you'll have o wait a little longer for it. Sorry. Also, I'm gathering ideas for a potential One Piece / Kamen Rider Build crossover, if you are interested and have some ideas, feel free to share them with me.**

 **See you next time !**


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